Compare towns
Stoneham vs Gardner vs Foxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Foxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Stoneham | Gardner | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Highest |
21,148 |
18,615Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
| Gardner and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Foxborough and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
58.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Stoneham and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10k 10% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$115,833±$9kHighest 11% above MA |
| Foxborough and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
| Stoneham and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523 9% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,275Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Foxborough and Gardner 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% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 4% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Gardner | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Gardner High | Foxborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.3 |
| 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.