Compare towns
Gardner vs Templeton vs Winchendon
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 highest household income ($101k).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,252Lowest |
10,440 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
39.6±1.9Lowest 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% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Winchendon 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% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Winchendon 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% |
26.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Winchendon 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 |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
| Templeton and Winchendon 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±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA |
| Winchendon and Templeton 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 |
$4,554Highest 24% below MA |
$3,780Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
10.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest 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 | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Narragansett | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Narragansett Regional High | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.2 |
11.3Lowest |
| 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.