Compare towns
Gardner vs Putnam vs Townsend
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 people working from home (13.3%).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Putnam | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
9,292 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Putnam 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% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Putnam 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% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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 16% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend 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% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Townsend 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Putnam School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Putnam High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.5Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.