What stands out worked out from the figures below

Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).

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	Southbridge Town	Gardner
People
Population	17,928Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.9%±3Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Southbridge Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Southbridge Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA	$67,518±$8kHighest 35% below MA
	Gardner and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA	$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA
	Gardner and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,256±$79Highest 29% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Highest 27% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Southbridge Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	15.3%Highest MA: 10%	13.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 8 yrs older than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest about the MA average	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#282 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Southbridge	Gardner
High school in town	Southbridge High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.8Lowest	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.