Compare towns
Winchendon vs Athol vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the highest household income ($76k).
Athol has the shortest commute (27 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.
| Measure | Winchendon | Athol | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440Lowest |
12,011 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14kHighest 27% below MA |
$69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19kHighest 42% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 37% below MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
16.3% MA: 10% |
13.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Winchendon 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Athol-Royalston | Gardner |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Athol High | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
11.6 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.