United States › Massachusetts › Gardner CITY
Gardner Massachusetts · 21,483 residents (2025 est.) · 22.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Gardner is home to 21,148 people in Massachusetts. The median age is 43.7, about 5 years above the US median. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. That trails the Massachusetts median by roughly 35%. The foreign-born share is 8%. 59% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 59%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 20,770 in 2000
21,483 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 953 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 20K 21K 21K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Gardner Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $67,518
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,334 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,624 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.446 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.7%
Public administration 3.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Education & health services 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$301,600
+59%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $104,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,109
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $498 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 54.6% in 2000
41.1% rent
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.23 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 90.9%(18,882)
Hispanic / Latino 4.1%(848)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 77.6%(16,420)
Hispanic / Latino 10.7%(2,256)
from 26 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 15.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 3.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 78.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 40.3%(3,697)
Women 15+
Never married 33.6%(2,953)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 3.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 45.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 21.1%(256)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.4%(162)
Share of the 1,211 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Gardner, Massachusetts? Gardner, Massachusetts has about 21,148 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Gardner, Massachusetts? The typical household in Gardner, Massachusetts earns about $67,518 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Gardner, Massachusetts expensive? In Gardner, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $301,600, and the typical rent is about $1,109 a month.
How educated are people in Gardner, Massachusetts? About 23.8% of adults age 25 and over in Gardner, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Gardner, Massachusetts? About 13.7% of people in Gardner, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.
Has Gardner, Massachusetts grown since 1990? Yes, Gardner, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,023 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.
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