Compare towns
Gardner vs Woonsocket vs South Ashburnham
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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
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 | Woonsocket | South Ashburnham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
43,521Highest |
1,500Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
38.1±10.4 about the U.S. average |
| Gardner and South Ashburnham 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and South Ashburnham 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% |
14.7%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Woonsocket 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. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$126,071±$42kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$370,300±$56kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| South Ashburnham 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. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Woonsocket 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. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,896Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±10.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±18.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Ashburnham 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | — |
| School district | Gardner | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | — |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Woonsocket High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Lowest |
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.