What stands out worked out from the figures below

Glocester has the highest household income ($114k).

Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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	Glocester	Gardner
People
Population	10,221Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Glocester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Glocester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,508±$7kHighest 41% above U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$396,500±$28kHighest 19% above U.S.	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Glocester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,248Highest 68% above U.S.	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Glocester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 30% above U.S.	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner and Glocester 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	#12 of 38 in RI	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Foster-Glocester · Glocester	Gardner
High school in town	Ponaganset High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.5Highest
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.