Compare towns
Gardner vs South Ashburnham 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).
South Ashburnham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7%).
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 | South Ashburnham | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
1,500Lowest |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
38.1±10.4Lowest 5% below MA |
40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Templeton 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% |
21.1%±8.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and South Ashburnham 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% |
8.2%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Templeton 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% |
27.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| South Ashburnham 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 |
$126,071±$42kHighest 21% above MA |
$101,154±$15k about the MA average |
| South Ashburnham 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 |
$370,300±$56kHighest 34% below MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| South Ashburnham and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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 | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,896Highest 18% below MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
100%±10.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.7%±18.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and South Ashburnham 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 Our Story | 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.