Compare towns
Gardner vs Brooklyn vs Putnam vs Templeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k median).
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Gardner | Brooklyn | Putnam | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,517 |
9,292 |
8,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
40.3±5.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$101,154±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Templeton and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$358,500±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,207±$353Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Templeton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,554Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Brooklyn School District | Putnam School District | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Putnam High School | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.