What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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	Windham
People
Population	21,148Highest	16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Gardner and Windham 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%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gardner and Windham 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%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and Windham 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.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham 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%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#273 of 282 in MA	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Gardner	Windham School District
High school in town	Gardner High	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	12.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.