Fitchburg vs Gardner
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
The prices are essentially identical, so schools break the tie: Fitchburg is ahead — 14th percentile on MCAS against 5th.
Fitchburg is about 8 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak, and it has MBTA rail while Gardner does not. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose Fitchburg if you want the stronger schools of the two, or the commute matters most, or you want a train.
All Fitchburg numbers →Choose Gardner if you want the lower price.
All Gardner numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsEven, 2 each of 9
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | mixed schoolsT4 | mixed schoolsT4 |
| MCAS achievement | 14th | 5th |
| Student growth | 44th | 40th |
| Graduation rate | 84.8% | 87.8% |
| SchoolDigger rank | 319th of 361 | 333rd of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $21,840 | $18,538 |
| Schools in the district | 6 | 2 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 1 | 2 |
What a home costsGardner ahead on 2 of 8
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $420kT1 | $400kT1 |
| 3BR townhouse | $325k | $305k |
| 2BR condo | $240k | $225k |
| 3BR home | $425k | $399k |
| 5+ BR home | $511k | $464k |
| 3BR rent | $3,173/mo | $2,677/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $118k | $114k |
| 10-year price growth | 8.8% a year | 8.3% a year |
What you pay the townLevel across all 4
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $13.29T3 | $13.77T3 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$5,600 | ≈$5,500 |
| Town spending per resident | $4,265 | $3,856 |
| Share of budget on schools | 52% | 43% |
Getting to workFitchburg ahead on 3 of 3
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 80 minT4 | 88 minT4 |
| MBTA rail | Commuter rail · ~91 min to terminal | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 42 mi | 50 mi |
Before kindergartenFitchburg ahead on 2 of 4
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 124 | 36 |
| Child care places | 1,523 | 749 |
| Centers vs family programs | 9 centers | 8 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 66 | 59 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Fitchburg | Gardner | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,946 | 21,287 |
| Energy | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Family amenities | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Gathering places | 9/10 | 8/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
