Compare towns
Gardner vs Peru vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Peru | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
630Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield Town 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±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$90,750±$18kHighest 13% below MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Peru and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA |
| West Springfield Town 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 37% below MA |
— | $1,144±$68Highest 35% below MA |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,380Highest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and West Springfield Town 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 | — | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | 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 |
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.