Gardner receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Southbridge Town
Gardner
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
61 · Bottom 17%
vs60 · Bottom 14%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Schools
19 · Bottom 10%
vs20 · Bottom 11%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Southbridge Town | Gardner | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,928 | 21,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,287 | $67,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,249 | $37,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 886/sq mi | 958/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,800 | $301,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,256 | $1,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 58.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 23.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -54.5% | 125.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 43.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.50 | 14.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.0% | 13.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.5% | 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
Southbridge Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Gardner
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Southbridge Town
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Gardner
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Southbridge Town, MA · Gardner, MA · How this is calculated: methodology