Compare towns
Gardner vs Townsend vs South Ashburnham
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 renters (41.1% rent).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
South Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | Townsend | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
9,100 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
| Gardner and Townsend 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%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±8.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham and Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
| South Ashburnham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$370,300±$56k 34% below MA |
| Townsend and South Ashburnham 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 |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
— |
| Townsend and Gardner 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,896 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±18.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| South Ashburnham 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
13.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.