Compare towns
Gardner vs Webster 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 affordable homes ($302k median).
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Webster | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
17,748 |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
| Gardner and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±8.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Webster 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% |
19.6%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
27.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham and Webster 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 |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$370,300±$56kHighest 34% below MA |
| South Ashburnham and Webster 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 |
$1,228±$81Highest 30% below MA |
— |
| Webster 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 |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$4,896Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.7% MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
59.8% MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Gardner | Webster | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Bartlett High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.