Compare towns
Gardner vs Middlesex vs West Springfield Town
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Middlesex | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
1,943Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% 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%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and West Springfield Town 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% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest 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% |
34% 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% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Springfield Town 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±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$321,500±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Springfield Town 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±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,144±$68 19% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Springfield Town 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. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town 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% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | — | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.