Compare towns
Union vs Gardner vs Colebrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Colebrook has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Union | Gardner | Colebrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 944Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.9±4.3 28% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52.1±5Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colebrook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colebrook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,250±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$342,800±$19kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,333±$626Highest 6% below U.S. |
| Colebrook and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,793 54% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$6,211Highest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±55Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Union 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 | Union School District | Gardner | Colebrook School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.