What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardner	Mansfield
People
Population	21,148Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.	$72,393±$12kHighest 10% below U.S.
	Mansfield and Gardner 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.	$335,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average
	Mansfield and Gardner 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.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	13.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#273 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Gardner	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Gardner High	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.