Compare towns
Gardner vs Middlesex vs Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Ashburnham has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Middlesex | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
1,943Lowest |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Gardner 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Middlesex 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 16% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Middlesex 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. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Middlesex 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$6,046 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
96% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Ashburnham 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 | — | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.