Compare towns
Gardner vs Templeton vs Wareham
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).
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148 |
8,252Lowest |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham 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 |
$90,383±$11k 13% below MA |
| Templeton and Wareham 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 |
$424,500±$21kHighest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$1,504±$180Highest 15% below MA |
| Wareham 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 |
$4,554Highest 24% below MA |
$4,341 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Wareham 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% |
6.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older 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%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Narragansett | Wareham |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Narragansett Regional High | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.2 |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.