Compare towns
Gardner vs West Wareham vs Westminster
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).
West Wareham has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 Wareham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
2,257Lowest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.8% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| West Wareham and Westminster 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% |
14.8%±7.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham and Westminster 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% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| West Wareham 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 |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
— | $1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,765 20% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.