Compare towns
Gardner vs Jaffrey 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Jaffrey has the most affordable homes ($246k 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 | Jaffrey | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
5,448Lowest |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.9±3.9 10% above U.S. |
40.3±5.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Jaffrey 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% |
23.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Jaffrey and Templeton 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% |
18.5%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Jaffrey 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
31.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Templeton 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. |
$92,330±$18k 14% above U.S. |
$101,154±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Templeton and Jaffrey 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. |
$245,500±$27kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$358,500±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$962±$202Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,207±$353Highest 15% below U.S. |
| 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 33% above U.S. |
$6,196Highest 99% above U.S. |
$4,554 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±23 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Jaffrey 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±4.2Lowest 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 | #87 of 120 in NH | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Conant Middle High School (H) | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
21.3Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.