Compare towns
Union vs Gardner vs Eastford
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 renters (41.1% rent).
Eastford has the most people working from home (14.6%).
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 | Eastford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 944Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,679 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.3±5.9 24% above U.S. |
| Union and Eastford 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% |
17.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Eastford 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% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eastford 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% |
39.4%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%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Eastford 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. |
$97,422±$20kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Eastford 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. |
$355,500±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Eastford and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,097±$173Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Eastford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,793Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,493 44% 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% |
42.9%±32.6Lowest 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% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Eastford 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Union School District | Gardner | Eastford 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.