Compare towns
Gardner vs Lawrence vs Everett vs West Springfield Town
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 people working from home (13.3%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Lawrence | Everett | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Lowest |
88,736Highest |
50,045 |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
40.1±2.6 about the MA average |
| Gardner and West Springfield Town 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% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7kHighest 18% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
11.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Everett 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Lawrence | Everett | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Lawrence High School | Everett High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
13.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.