Compare towns
Gardner vs Lancaster vs Spencer
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Spencer has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Lancaster | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,606Lowest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
| Spencer and Gardner 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% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Lancaster 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer 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±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$80,533±$11k 23% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$382,000±$22k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,387 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Spencer 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Nashoba | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.