Compare towns
Weweantic vs Gardner vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Weweantic has the most expensive homes ($421k median).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Chester has the highest household income ($89k).
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 | Weweantic | Gardner | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,452 |
21,148Highest |
1,240Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±13.9 11% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.9±3.7Highest 15% above MA |
| Chester and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±7.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
24.1%±8.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Chester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.5%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Weweantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.1%±8.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Weweantic and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,481±$39kLowest 40% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$89,390±$6kHighest 14% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,800±$42kHighest 25% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$281,900±$14kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$1,104±$71Lowest 37% below MA |
| Gardner and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,764Lowest 37% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,522Highest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
54.1%±22.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Chester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 24% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 3.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
7%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | Gateway |
| High school 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 |
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.