Compare towns
Gardner vs Maynard vs Westminster 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).
Maynard has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Templeton has the youngest population (median age 40.3).
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 | Maynard | Westminster | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
10,712 |
8,374 |
8,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Westminster and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Maynard 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 |
$124,067±$16kHighest 19% above MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$101,154±$15k about the MA average |
| Maynard and Westminster 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 |
$527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
| Westminster and Maynard 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 |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster 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 MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Maynard and Templeton 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Maynard | Ashburnham-Westminster | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Maynard High | Oakmont Regional High School | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
9.7Lowest |
13.6Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.