Compare towns

Gardner vs Killingly vs Templeton vs Ware

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).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
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.

MeasureGardnerKillinglyTempletonWare
People
Population
21,148Highest
17,867
8,252Lowest
10,048
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+1.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±2.3Highest
12% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
40.3±5.1
4% above U.S.
43.1±4.7
11% above U.S.
Gardner and Ware 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%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
22.9%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.1%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
Templeton and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±2.2
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.6%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Ware and Killingly 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%
22.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
24%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.6%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Killingly 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±$8k
16% below U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$101,154±$15kHighest
25% above U.S.
$67,475±$15kLowest
16% below U.S.
Templeton and Killingly 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.
$288,600±$15kLowest
13% below U.S.
$358,500±$12kHighest
8% above U.S.
$289,700±$28k
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,109±$51
22% below U.S.
$1,044±$141
26% below U.S.
$1,207±$353Highest
15% below U.S.
$1,043±$109Lowest
26% 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
$4,150
33% above U.S.
$3,922Lowest
26% above U.S.
$4,554Highest
46% above U.S.
$4,237
36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.7%±8.6
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.7%±26.1
U.S.: 51.1%
64.3%±16.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ware and Gardner 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%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
85.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1954Lowest
26 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1972Highest
8 yrs older than U.S.
1960
20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
28 minLowest
5% above U.S.
28 min
8% above U.S.
Work from home
13.3%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.9%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
12.3%±3.8
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 #136 of 149 in CT #244 of 282 in MA #267 of 282 in MA
School district Gardner Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Narragansett Ware
High school in town Gardner High Killingly High School Narragansett Regional High Ware Junior/Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.5Highest
11.1Lowest
12.2
11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.