Compare towns
Gardner vs Winchendon vs Woonsocket
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 the most people working from home (13.3%).
Winchendon has the most homeowners (76.6%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Winchendon | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
10,440Lowest |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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 16% below U.S. |
$75,690±$14kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Woonsocket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Gardner | Winchendon | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Murdock High School | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.3Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.