What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leicester has the highest household income ($105k).

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	Leicester	Gardner
People
Population	11,113Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Leicester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Leicester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$105,173±$9kHighest about the MA average	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,452Highest 26% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 6% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and Leicester 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	#222 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Leicester	Gardner
High school in town	Leicester High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.