Compare towns
Marion vs Gardner vs Weweantic
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 highest household income ($143k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Weweantic has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Weweantic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310 |
21,148Highest |
1,452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+0.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
44.4±13.9 11% above MA |
| Marion and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and Marion 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Gardner 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% |
30.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic and Marion 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$420,800±$42k 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Highest 33% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
— |
| Marion and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766Highest 4% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
0%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±3.8Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | Marion | Gardner | — |
| High school 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.