Compare towns
Gardner vs Mendon vs Webster 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 affordable homes ($302k median).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k median).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Mendon | Webster | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
6,325Lowest |
12,228 |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
| Mendon 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Webster 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 35% below MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
$101,154±$15k about the MA average |
| Mendon 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$333,100±$14k 41% below MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,198±$85 32% below MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Mendon-Upton | — | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | — | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | — | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.