Compare towns
Sturbridge vs Gardner vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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 | Sturbridge | Gardner | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,960 |
21,148Highest |
3,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Sturbridge and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,193±$398Highest 32% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Gardner | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| 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.