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Buying a home in Gardner, Massachusetts

The typical owner-occupied home in Gardner is worth about $301,600, 46% below the Massachusetts median of $562,100 and 9% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,150 a year in property taxes, about 1.38% of their home's value, higher than the Massachusetts rate of 1.07%. The median household earns $67,518 a year, so the median home costs 4.5 times the median income (5.4 times for Massachusetts). 59% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Gardner at a glance

Gardner Massachusetts U.S.
Median home value $301,600 $562,100 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,150 $5,992 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.38% 1.07% 0.94%
Median household income $67,518 $103,960 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 59% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 66% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,946 $2,726 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.6% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $1,109 $1,762 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.9% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1954 1964 1980
Vacant homes 5.8% 8.1% 10.1%
Population 21,148 7,044,056 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Gardner

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Gardner home of $301,600 with 20% down costs about $2,096 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,598, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $89,812 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Gardner household income of $67,518; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $227,000.

The median rent here is $1,109 a month, so owning the median home costs about $987 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$60,320
Loan amount$241,280
Principal and interest$1,623
Property taxes (1.38% a year)$347
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$126
PMI$0
Total per month$2,096

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,556
Loan amount$296,137
Principal and interest$1,992
Property taxes (1.38% a year)$347
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$126
FHA mortgage insurance$133
Total per month$2,598

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Questions about home buying in Gardner

What is the median home value in Gardner?

About $301,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Gardner?

Homeowners pay a median $4,150 a year, which is about 1.38% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Gardner?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,096 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $89,812 a year.

More about Gardner

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data