Compare towns
Gardner vs Orange vs South Ashburnham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Orange | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
7,573 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
41.8±2.2 4% above MA |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
| Gardner and Orange 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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±8.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Orange and South Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Orange 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% MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$370,300±$56kHighest 34% below MA |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,896Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±18.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.