Darien, IL vs Gardner, MA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Darien
75.1
#500 nationally
Gardner
66.9
#1484 nationally
Darien leads in crime level (1.1 vs 9.0). Darien leads in median household income ($110,546 vs $56,974). Gardner leads in cost of living index (109 vs 122).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Darien, IL | Gardner, MA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 75.1 (#500) | 66.9 (#1484) |
| Population | 21,698 | 20,974 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $463,450 | $379,602 |
| Median Household Income | $110,546 | $56,974 |
| Average Commute | 29.7 min | 31.7 min |
| Walk Score | 35 | 39 |
| Crime Level | 1.1 | 9.0 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 122 | 109 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+13.3 | D+10.0 |
C
75.1 Score
Darien, IL
Small Illinois city with local appeal
Median Home
$463,450
Population
21,698
Crime
Very Low
Walk Score
35
Midwest
View Darien, IL →
D
66.9 Score
Gardner, MA
Small Massachusetts city with local appeal
Median Home
$379,602
Population
20,974
Crime
Moderate
Walk Score
39
Northeast
View Gardner, MA →