Compare towns
Plympton vs Gardner vs Ashby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most expensive homes ($518k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Ashby has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
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 | Plympton | Gardner | Ashby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
21,148Highest |
3,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
| Ashby and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
| Plympton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,200±$484Highest 32% below MA |
| Ashby and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Ashby 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Gardner | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.