Compare towns
Gardner vs Sturbridge vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Sturbridge | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
9,960Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Sturbridge 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 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| West Springfield 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±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Sturbridge and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Gardner 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.