Compare towns
Gardner vs Templeton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Templeton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,252Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
| Gardner and Townsend 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% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Townsend 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%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Townsend 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% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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±$15k about the MA average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
| Townsend 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 |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Townsend and Templeton 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 |
$4,554 24% below MA |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend 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% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
8.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Narragansett | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Narragansett Regional High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.2Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.