Gardner and Fitchburg receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Gardner
Fitchburg
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 27%
vs46 · Bottom 29%
Growth
47 · Bottom 45%
vs31 · Bottom 19%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
80 · Bottom 49%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
82 · Bottom 25%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Gardner | Fitchburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,148 | 41,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,518 | $73,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,215 | $37,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 958/sq mi | 1,502/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,600 | $336,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 | $1,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 25.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 12 | 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% | -58.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 36.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.64 | 11.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 13.7% | 12.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.2% | 29.2% | 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
Gardner
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Fitchburg
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Gardner, MA · Fitchburg, MA · How this is calculated: methodology