Compare towns
Oxford vs Gardner vs Holbrook
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).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k 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 | Oxford | Gardner | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,385 |
21,148Highest |
11,380Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Gardner and Holbrook 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%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Holbrook 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% |
19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Holbrook 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% |
34.6%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%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Holbrook 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 |
$115,210±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
| Holbrook 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 |
$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$142Highest 33% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,094±$423Lowest 38% 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 | $4,622 23% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,105Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7Lowest 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% |
7.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3Lowest 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 | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oxford | Gardner | Holbrook |
| High school in town | Oxford High | Gardner High | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.5 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.