Compare towns
Leicester vs Gardner vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k median).
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 | Leicester | Gardner | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,113Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,380 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Gardner and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holbrook and Leicester 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% |
19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,173±$9k about the MA average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$115,210±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
| Holbrook and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,452 26% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,105Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Holbrook 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3Lowest 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 | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leicester | Gardner | Holbrook |
| High school in town | Leicester High | Gardner High | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.5 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.