Compare towns
South Ashburnham vs Gardner vs Erving
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering South AshburnhamAshburnham
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Ashburnham has the highest household income ($126k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Erving has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | South Ashburnham | Gardner | Erving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,500Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.3±2.4 8% above MA |
| Gardner and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Erving and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$77,656±$9k 25% below MA |
| South Ashburnham and Erving are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $370,300±$56kHighest 34% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$271,800±$20kLowest 52% below MA |
| South Ashburnham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,163±$213Highest 34% below MA |
| Erving and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,896Highest 18% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$1,870Lowest 69% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±23Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.7%±18.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
3.6%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| South Ashburnham 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | Erving |
| High school 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.