Compare towns
Oxford vs Gardner vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Oxford | Gardner | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385Lowest |
21,148Highest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Gardner 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% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,862±$10k about the MA average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,900±$18k 33% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$400,000±$16kHighest 29% below MA |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142 33% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,467±$155Highest 17% below MA |
| Auburn and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,622 23% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,289Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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 | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Gardner | Auburn |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Gardner High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.