What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rochester has the most expensive homes ($599k median).

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

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	Rochester	Gardner
People
Population	5,837Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.5±6Highest 16% above MA	43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA
	Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Gardner and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,273±$12kHighest 16% above MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Rochester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,530Highest 9% above MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 25% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and Rochester 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	#104 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester	Gardner
High school in town	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.1Lowest	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.