Compare towns
Plympton vs Gardner vs Carver
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 highest household income ($127k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Carver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
21,148Highest |
11,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±3.5 15% above MA |
| Plympton and Carver 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% |
16.9%±2.9Lowest 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%±5 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Carver and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Carver 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 |
$91,250±$23k 12% below MA |
| Plympton and Carver 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 |
$434,200±$21k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,827±$345Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,455 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55%±23.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Carver and Plympton 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% |
7.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 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% |
13.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and Carver 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 | #237 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Gardner | Carver |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Carver Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.