What stands out worked out from the figures below

Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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	Springfield	Gardner
People
Population	154,749Highest	21,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
Kids under 18	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA	$67,518±$8kHighest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA	$301,600±$20kHighest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$55Highest 35% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Springfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA	$4,150Highest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Springfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.8%Highest MA: 10%	13.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA	1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 31% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#276 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Springfield	Gardner
High school in town	Springfield Central High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.