Compare towns
Gardner vs Wakefield vs North Adams
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
North Adams has the shortest commute (17 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 | Wakefield | North Adams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
27,793Highest |
12,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
44.1±3.5Highest 10% above MA |
| North Adams and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Gardner 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%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
| North Adams 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% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$793±$113Lowest 55% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$3,078Lowest 49% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
63.7%±11Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Adams and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
51%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #268 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Charles McCann Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.7 |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.