Compare towns
Springfield vs Gardner vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most expensive homes ($384k median).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Grafton has the most people working from home (19.9%).
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 | Springfield | Gardner | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
43.1±10.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Springfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Grafton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Grafton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,563±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Springfield and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$267,300±$23kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,243±$163Highest 12% below U.S. |
| Grafton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,239 68% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.1%±34.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
43 minHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Grafton and Springfield 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. 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.