Compare towns
Windsor vs Gardner vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Windsor | Gardner | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
21,148Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Dalton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$79,438±$8k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,276Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor 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 | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Gardner | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
10.9Lowest |
| 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.