What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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	West Springfield Town	Gardner
People
Population	28,772Highest	21,148Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,371±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$321,500±$16kHighest 43% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,144±$68Highest 35% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,380Highest 27% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	West Springfield Town and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.9%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 34% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	10.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
	Gardner and West Springfield Town 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	#218 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	West Springfield	Gardner
High school in town	West Springfield High	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.