Compare towns
Marion vs Gardner vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has the most people working from home (20.1%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Rochester has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Marion | Gardner | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310Lowest |
21,148Highest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
46.5±6 16% above MA |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$599,100±$31k 7% above MA |
| Marion and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516 33% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA |
| Rochester and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766 4% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,530Highest 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Gardner | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.