01440 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01440
01550
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Growth
45 · Bottom 42%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs73 · Bottom 39%
Schools
26 · Bottom 18%
vs20 · Bottom 10%
Access
82 · Bottom 24%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 30%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 01440 | 01550 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,276 | 17,928 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,440 | $66,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,282 | $35,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 868/sq mi | 886/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $303,500 | $294,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 | $1,256 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 42.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 125.0% | -54.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.64 | 11.50 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.7% | 7.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.2% | 15.5% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01440
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
01550
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 01440 — Gardner, MA · 01550 — Southbridge Town, MA · How this is calculated: methodology