Compare towns
Gardner vs Sutton vs Woonsocket vs Westminster
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 affordable homes ($302k median).
Sutton has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Sutton | Woonsocket | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148 |
9,452 |
43,521Highest |
8,374Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Westminster 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% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$422,000±$36k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Sutton 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. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Sutton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Sutton High School | Woonsocket High School | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
12.6Lowest |
15.2Highest |
13.6 |
| 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.