Compare towns
Hubbardston vs Plympton vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hubbardston has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Hubbardston | Plympton | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,371 |
2,935Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±9.1Highest 17% above MA |
46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
| Hubbardston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,500±$24k 19% above MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Plympton and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $371,600±$18k 34% below MA |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $953±$206 46% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
| Gardner and Hubbardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,716 21% below MA |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±67.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hubbardston and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
93.1% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 14%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Hubbardston 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 | #128 of 282 in MA | #110 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Plympton | Gardner |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.5 |
| 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.