Compare towns
Gardner vs Monroe 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).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k 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 | Monroe | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
122Lowest |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Gardner 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% |
31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe 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% MA: 47.3% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe 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 |
— | $101,154±$15kHighest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% 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 | $4,150 31% below MA |
$2,053Lowest 66% below MA |
$4,554Highest 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
10.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest 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 | — | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | 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 |
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.