Compare towns
Millbury vs Gardner vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the most expensive homes ($450k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Millbury | Gardner | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961 |
21,148Highest |
13,385Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
| Gardner and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$103,862±$10k about the MA average |
| Millbury and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$374,900±$18k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,177±$142 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406Highest 10% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,622 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Oxford and Millbury 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 | #202 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Gardner | Oxford |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Gardner High | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.