Compare towns
Gardner vs Needham 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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Needham | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
32,459Highest |
8,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
| Gardner and Needham 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham 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 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$101,154±$15k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Needham | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Needham High | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.