What stands out worked out from the figures below

Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).

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	Townsend	Gardner
People
Population	9,100Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Townsend and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Townsend and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Townsend and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,031Highest about the MA average	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Townsend and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 27% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and Townsend 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	#136 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	North Middlesex	Gardner
High school in town	North Middlesex Regional	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	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.