Compare towns
Gardner vs Harvard vs Upton
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).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Harvard | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Harvard and Gardner 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Upton 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Harvard | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | The Bromfield High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
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.