Population 21,388 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gardner
Household size in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.59 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.62 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Gardner are small: just 2.28 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.41 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.0 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.9 | 40.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.6 | 41.1 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +2.0 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Gardner is 43.6 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.0, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 10.8% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 11.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 11.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +0.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in seven households in Gardner (15.4%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gardner
Renters in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0% | 32.4% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.6% | 34.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.5% | 34.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.8% | 34.2% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Gardner than nationally: 40.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Just over a third of owners (35.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.2 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 9.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 8.5% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.8% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Gardner than nationally: 5.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Worcester area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1961 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1962 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1964 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1965 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Gardner is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1953 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $680 | $930 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $757 | $1,008 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $858 | $1,155 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,100 | $1,549 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$420 | +$619 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gardner pays $1,100 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $420 a month since 2006–10, up 62%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 36.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gardner
Bachelor's degrees in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.5% | 33.1% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 34.5% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 36.5% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 39.8% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +6.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Gardner have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.8%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 4.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.1% | 88.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.2% | 90.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.4% | 90.9% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Gardner never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points, in line with the national trend. Only 22 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gardner
| Period | Gardner | Worcester area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 8.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.1% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Gardner than nationally: unemployment was 6.8%, against 5.4%. Only 27 of the 275 Massachusetts cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gardner compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | 2.28 | 43.6 | 15.4% | 40.8% | 5.7% | 1958 | $1,100 | 23.8% | 87.4% | 6.8% |
| East Templeton | 2.56 | 50.8 | 7.5% | 18.5% | 15.8% | 1957 | $1,179 | 17.7% | 93.6% | 1.9% |
| Templeton | 2.43 | 43.8 | 14.9% | 11.1% | 15.2% | 1983 | $1,385 | 32.8% | 95.3% | 2.6% |
| Pitcherville | 2.52 | 41.7 | 16.0% | 4.7% | 10.1% | 1995 | $1,256 | 35.8% | 97.2% | 1.9% |
| Westminster | 2.61 | 45.7 | 5.8% | 12.3% | 6.9% | 1978 | $1,934 | 48.8% | 95.1% | 3.1% |
| Baldwinville | 2.59 | 41.8 | 17.6% | 19.0% | 4.9% | 1956 | $924 | 19.3% | 84.1% | 12.1% |
| Princeton Station | 2.60 | 44.8 | 10.7% | 6.3% | 5.5% | 1987 | $948 | 31.7% | 94.9% | 2.7% |
| Lane Village | 2.36 | 52.1 | 21.4% | 1.1% | 22.2% | 1992 | $1,807 | 47.9% | 95.6% | 4.6% |
| Ashburnham | 2.80 | 40.9 | 15.1% | 4.3% | 21.2% | 1967 | $1,805 | 40.0% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Hubbardston | 2.59 | 45.1 | 10.6% | 6.4% | 5.5% | 1986 | $950 | 32.2% | 95.0% | 2.7% |
| Leino Park | 2.44 | 59.9 | 8.5% | 17.4% | 7.3% | 1981 | $2,139 | 56.1% | 97.9% | 1.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Frankfort, IL · Swedesboro, NJ · Swartz Creek, MI · Susanville, CA · Sunnyside, WA · Sunny Isles Beach, FL · Sunland, CA · Sun Valley, NV · Suitland, MD · Stephens City, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gardner. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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