Compare towns
Gardner vs Ware vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
10,048Lowest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Gardner and Ware 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% |
21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Winchendon and Ware 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%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Winchendon 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 |
$75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA |
| Winchendon and Gardner 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 |
$323,800±$19kHighest 42% below MA |
| Winchendon and Gardner 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 |
$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
$3,780Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Ware | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.