Compare towns
Gardner vs Ripton vs Windham vs Worcester
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).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Windham 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
— | — | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Worcester 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. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Gardner | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.