Compare towns
Athol vs Gardner vs Templeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Templeton has the highest household income ($101k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Athol | Gardner | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,011 |
21,148Highest |
8,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
26.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 33% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$101,154±$15kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 35% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,207±$353Highest 31% below MA |
| Templeton and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,554Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
10.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #256 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Gardner | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Athol High | Gardner High | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.