Compare towns
Halifax vs Gardner vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Halifax | Gardner | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,748Lowest |
21,148Highest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±4.7Lowest 8% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,556±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
| Halifax and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $481,500±$51kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,804±$375Highest 28% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,840Highest 119% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±37.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Halifax 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 | #120 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Halifax | Gardner | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.