What stands out worked out from the figures below

Oxford has the highest household income ($104k).

Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Oxford	Gardner
People
Population	13,385Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Oxford and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Oxford and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,862±$10kHighest about the MA average	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,900±$18kHighest 33% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,177±$142Highest 33% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Oxford and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,622Highest 23% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest 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	7.7%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Oxford 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	#245 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Oxford	Gardner
High school in town	Oxford High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.3Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.