Compare towns
Holyoke vs Gardner vs Easthampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Gardner has the most homeowners (58.9%).
Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Holyoke | Gardner | Easthampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
21,148 |
16,086Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46±2.6Highest 15% above MA |
| Easthampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Holyoke and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Easthampton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Easthampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA |
| Easthampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$371,500±$15kHighest 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,292±$70Highest 27% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,932Highest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Holyoke and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
22 min 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Easthampton 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #92 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Gardner | Easthampton |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Gardner High | Easthampton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
13.5Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| 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.