Compare towns
Gardner vs Putnam vs Upton
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).
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
9,292 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Gardner 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Putnam 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Gardner 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% 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% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.5Lowest |
11.2 |
| 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.