What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

Westhampton has the most homeowners (91.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardner	Westhampton
People
Population	21,148Highest	1,552Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA	49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA
	Westhampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	18%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Gardner and Westhampton 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%	25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	47%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Gardner and Westhampton 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	$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA	$413,200±$24kHighest 26% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA	$1,304±$229Highest 26% below MA
	Westhampton and Gardner 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	$6,476Highest 8% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%	33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Westhampton 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%	6.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	91.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 5% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%	14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6%
	Westhampton 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	—
School district	Gardner	Hampshire · Westhampton
High school in town	Gardner High	Hampshire Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.