Compare towns
Gardner vs Leverett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Leverett has the most people working from home (28.5%).
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 | Leverett |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
1,608Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
56±6.4Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Leverett 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% |
34.8%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$104,688±$18kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$435,500±$35kHighest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,389±$135Highest 21% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,779Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
73.3%±6.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
10%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | Leverett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.