Compare towns
Gardner vs Halifax vs South Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Halifax | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
847Lowest |
1,500 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1 4% above U.S. |
38.1±10.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Gardner and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and South Ashburnham 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% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Gardner 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$126,071±$42kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$370,300±$56kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,991Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,896 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Ashburnham and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±18.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax and South Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Gardner | Halifax School District | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.