Compare towns
Gardner vs Plainfield 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).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,141 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Ashburnham 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.