Compare towns
Gardner vs Hermon vs 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).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Ashburnham has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Hermon | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
6,727 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Hermon 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% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon 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% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Hermon 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 16% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Hermon Public Schools | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Hermon High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
14.6Highest |
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| 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.