Rank
289
C-
Gardner
2 schools · 1 high school · 1 elementary school · Gardner
Gardner is a town in north-central Massachusetts, approximately 50 miles west of Boston in the foothills region near the New Hampshire border. The town has a long industrial heritage, historically known for its furniture manufacturing, though the economy has diversified over recent decades. Gardner Public Schools serve the community with one elementary school and Gardner High School, which maintains a graduation rate of 89.7%. The district ranks #289 of 328 in the state overall.
Avg MCAS ELA
34%
#258 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
23.5%
#290 of 326
Avg SAT
912
#273 of 290
Attendance
92.4%
#236 of 328
Graduation Rate
89.7%
#214 of 288
AP Pass Rate
56.5%
#215 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$18,539
#276 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$104,103
#59 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 22% | 17% | — | 479 | 200 |
| Grade 4 | 23% | 17% | — | 479 | 183 |
| Grade 5 | 11% | 16% | 23% | 478 | 183 |
| Grade 6 | 13% | 22% | — | 477 | 159 |
| Grade 7 | 16% | 20% | — | 478 | 160 |
| Grade 8 | 33% | 19% | 24% | 487 | 153 |
| Grade 10 | 43% | 28% | 25% | 490 | 165 |
| HS Science | — | — | 40% | 493 | 72 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 55%
Asian: 1.5%
Hispanic: 30.5%
Black: 4.7%
Multi-Race: 8%
Am. Indian: 0.2%
Female: 48%Male: 51.7%Non-binary: 0.4%
High Schools in Gardner
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
263
C
Gardner High
SAT
912
ELA
46%
Math
30%
Grad
89.7%
263
C
Gardner High
912
46%
30%
56.5%
89.7%
Elementary Schools in Gardner
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
821
C-
Gardner Elementary School
ELA
22%
Math
17%
Attend.
92.5%
Class
22
821
C-
Gardner Elementary School
22%
17%
92.5%
22
District Operations
Attendance
#236 of 328Attendance Rate92.4%
Avg Days Absent13
Chronically Absent (10%+)26.7%
Chronically Absent (20%+)7.1%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#276 of 325In-District Per Pupil$17,987
Total Per Pupil$18,539
Total FTE Students2,681
Teacher Salaries
#59 of 325Average Salary$104,103
Teacher FTE Count148
Salary vs. Town Income4.0x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 4.0x the town's per capita income ($26,354). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#255 of 327Avg Class Size19
English Learners10.9%
Students w/ Disabilities24.2%
Total Students2,521
Staffing & Retention
#229 of 327Teacher Retention84%
Principal Retention66.7%
Total Teachers188
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Gardner
Avg Assessed Value
$366,888
#214 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$5,052
Income Per Capita
$26,354
#221 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#278
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.38%
Tax as % of Income19.17%(above avg)
Bond RatingAA-(good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$24.0M+1.02% levy growth(typical)
Residential$11.5M
Commercial/Industrial$12.5M
Residential Share48.03%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.5% (2.5% base + 1.02% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (48.03%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$2.0M2.6% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $78.8M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 85(19.8%)
Vocational: 113(26.3%)
Charter: 14(3.3%)
Private: 108(25.2%)
Home School: 22(5.1%)
Total: 429