Compare towns
Westminster vs Bolton vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Westminster | Bolton | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,374 |
5,737Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9% MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Westminster and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973 17% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #112 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Nashoba | Gardner |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Nashoba Regional | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.0Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.