Compare towns
Gardner vs Ware vs Westminster vs 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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware | Westminster | Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
10,048 |
8,374 |
6,415Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
40.7±6.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Westminster 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.6%±6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Ware 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ashburnham 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 35% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$118,809±$11kHighest 14% above MA |
| Ashburnham 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±$20k 46% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
$390,700±$34k 30% below MA |
| 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±$51 37% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,807±$1k about the MA average |
| 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 31% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
$6,046Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashburnham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
87.6% MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
16%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #178 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Ware | Ashburnham-Westminster | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Oakmont Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.1Lowest |
13.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.