Compare towns
Gardner vs Upton vs Windham vs West Springfield Town
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).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Upton | Windham | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148 |
8,189Lowest |
16,038 |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Upton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 16% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Windham and Upton 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$321,500±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,144±$68 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Upton 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Windham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windham School District | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Blackstone Valley | Windham High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1 |
| 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.