What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardner	Southbridge Town
People
Population	21,148Highest	17,928Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA	40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average
	Gardner and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Southbridge Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Southbridge 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±$8kHighest 35% below MA	$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA
	Gardner and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA	$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA
	Gardner and Southbridge Town 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	$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA	$4,400Highest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Southbridge 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%Lowest MA: 10%	15.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	28 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%	4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#273 of 282 in MA	#282 of 282 in MA
School district	Gardner	Southbridge
High school in town	Gardner High	Southbridge High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.