Compare towns
Gardner vs Sutton vs Westminster vs Ashburnham
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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Westminster | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
2,239Lowest |
8,374 |
6,415 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.7±6.3Lowest 5% 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Sutton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashburnham and Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$106,331±$22k 32% above U.S. |
$118,809±$11k 47% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Ashburnham 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. |
$362,600±$16k 9% above U.S. |
$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$390,700±$34k 17% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Ashburnham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614 17% above U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,807±$1k 28% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Ashburnham 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. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% above U.S. |
$6,046 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Westminster 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham and Sutton 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Kearsarge Regional School District | Ashburnham-Westminster | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Kearsarge Regional High School | Oakmont Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
10.4Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| 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.