Compare towns
Gardner vs Worcester vs Webster vs Templeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Templeton has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Worcester | Webster | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
831Lowest |
17,748 |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.3±5.1 4% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Webster 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 16% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$101,154±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Templeton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$358,500±$12k 8% above U.S. |
| Webster and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,207±$353 15% below U.S. |
| Webster and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,554Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Templeton 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Webster | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Bartlett High School | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.