Compare towns

Gardner vs Holbrook vs Templeton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k 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.

MeasureGardnerHolbrookTempleton
People
Population
21,148Highest
11,380
8,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.2%
MA: +7.4%
+5.7%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+1.7%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±2.3Highest
9% above MA
42.8±3.2
7% above MA
40.3±5.1Lowest
about the MA average
Gardner and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.3%±2.3Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21.2%±4.4
MA: 19.4%
22.9%±5.9Highest
MA: 19.4%
Templeton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±2.2Highest
MA: 17.9%
19.1%±3.2
MA: 17.9%
14.7%±2.8Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Gardner and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.8%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
34.6%Highest
MA: 47.3%
26.9%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.6%±1.3
MA: 7.9%
5.1%±2.1Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.4%±1.6Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Holbrook 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
35% below MA
$115,210±$14kHighest
11% above MA
$101,154±$15k
about the MA average
Holbrook and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$301,600±$20kLowest
46% below MA
$465,400±$21kHighest
17% below MA
$358,500±$12k
36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,109±$51
37% below MA
$1,094±$423Lowest
38% below MA
$1,207±$353Highest
31% below MA
Templeton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,150Lowest
31% below MA
$6,105Highest
about the MA average
$4,554
24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.7%±8.6Highest
MA: 51.8%
47.8%±18.7
MA: 51.8%
44.7%±26.1Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Gardner and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
13.7%Highest
MA: 10%
7.7%Lowest
MA: 10%
10.6%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.9%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
84%
MA: 62.5%
85.3%Highest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1954Lowest
10 yrs older than MA
1957
7 yrs older than MA
1972Highest
8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 min
5% above MA
38 minHighest
30% above MA
28 minLowest
5% below MA
Work from home
13.3%±3.6
MA: 18.6%
12.1%±3.3Lowest
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 #273 of 282 in MA #234 of 282 in MA #244 of 282 in MA
School district Gardner Holbrook Narragansett
High school in town Gardner High Holbrook Middle High School Narragansett Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school
13.5
14.3Highest
12.2Lowest
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.