Compare towns
Gardner vs Ware vs Westminster vs Templeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Ware | Westminster | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
6,369Lowest |
8,374 |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Templeton 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
$101,154±$15k about the MA average |
| Westminster 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±$20k 46% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 31% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | — | Ashburnham-Westminster | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | — | Oakmont Regional High School | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | 13.6Highest |
12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.