This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Gardner page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 21,075, so Gardner should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Massachusetts averages. Median household income is $62,948, so the best affordability read for Gardner is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $271,300, so ownership costs in Gardner should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,071/mo, so renters can compare Gardner against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Gardner, income sits in the middle range, making recurring bills worth watching. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Gardner looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with South Ashburnham, MA.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.302/kWh, so Gardner households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Gardner is a Massachusetts state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Gardner, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $3,685, so Gardner buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Gardner address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Gardner depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Gardner, especially when comparing with South Ashburnham, MA.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 43.5, so Gardner may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 22.8%, so Gardner education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 4.7%, so Gardner wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
