Compare towns
Gardner vs Georgetown vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Georgetown has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gardner | Georgetown | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,474 |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
44.1±4.7Highest 10% above MA |
| Harvard and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.1% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$651,200±$23k 16% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Georgetown and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,272 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Georgetown | Harvard |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Georgetown High School | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.