Compare towns
Middlesex vs Gardner vs Moretown vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Moretown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Middlesex | Gardner | Moretown | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943 |
21,148Highest |
1,532 |
831Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.8±3.8 20% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$104,423±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Moretown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$380,800±$36kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Moretown and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$838±$462Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,506 77% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.1%±14.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Worcester 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Gardner | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.