Compare towns
Gardner vs Westminster vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Westminster | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
2,999Lowest |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Springfield Town 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±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Westminster 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±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$321,500±$16kHighest 3% below U.S. |
| West Springfield Town 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 22% below U.S. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,144±$68Highest 19% below U.S. |
| West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #53 of 70 in VT | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Bellows Falls Union High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.6Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.