Compare towns
Gardner vs Hubbardston 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 renters (41.1% rent).
Hubbardston has the most homeowners (93.5%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Hubbardston | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
4,371Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
-1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
46.8±9.1Highest 17% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Hubbardston and Upton 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% |
17.8%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton 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% |
20.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Hubbardston 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% |
33.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Hubbardston 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 |
$123,500±$24k 19% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$371,600±$18k 34% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$953±$206 46% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Gardner and Hubbardston 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 |
$4,716 21% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.4%±67.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Hubbardston 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% |
4.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Hubbardston 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 | #128 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Quabbin | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.