Compare towns
Gill vs Gardner vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gill has the most homeowners (82.3%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Montague has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
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 | Gill | Gardner | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,740Lowest |
21,148Highest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.3±3.1Highest 11% above MA |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±8.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,208±$14kHighest 13% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,510±$12k 32% below MA |
| Gill and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,100±$17kHighest 39% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$246 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,207±$115Highest 31% below MA |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,318Highest 28% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±10.4 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
11.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
62.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gill-Montague | Gardner | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.