Compare towns
Gardner vs Heath vs Warwick vs Westminster
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 renters (41.1% rent).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Warwick has the most homeowners (89%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Heath | Warwick | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
765Lowest |
776 |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
51.4±7.3 29% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Heath and Warwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Westminster 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% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.5% MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Heath 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 |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
| Westminster and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
— | $1,367±$163 22% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Warwick 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 | — | — | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Warwick | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
— | — | 13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.