Compare towns
Gardner vs West Springfield Town vs Easthampton
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).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | West Springfield Town | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
28,772Highest |
16,086Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton 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% |
18.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| West Springfield Town 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% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton 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% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and West Springfield Town 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 |
$69,371±$7k 33% below MA |
$71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA |
| Easthampton and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
$371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner 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% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5% MA: 62.5% |
58.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
19 minLowest 34% below MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton 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 | #218 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | West Springfield | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Gardner High | West Springfield High | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
13.1 |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.