Compare towns
Gardner vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
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 | Gray | Ogunquit | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
12,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.1±3.5 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,473Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Adams and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.5 |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.