What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).

Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).

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	Sterling
People
Population	21,148Highest	3,629Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average
	Gardner and Sterling 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%	22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Sterling 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 U.S.: 17.2%	13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and Sterling 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.	$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S.	$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S.
	Gardner and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51 22% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.	$4,551Highest 46% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner and Sterling 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%	8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner and Sterling 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	#119 of 149 in CT
School district	Gardner	Sterling School District
High school in town	Gardner High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.