What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).

Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).

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	Milton
People
Population	21,148Lowest	28,587Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average
	Gardner and Milton 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%	25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	16.1%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Milton 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 MA: 47.3%	71.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA	$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA	$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA	$1,474±$281Highest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA	$9,677Highest 61% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.7%Highest MA: 10%	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.2%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA	1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% above MA	31 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	29.7%±2.9Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#273 of 282 in MA	#55 of 282 in MA
School district	Gardner	Milton
High school in town	Gardner High	Milton High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	12.4Lowest
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.