What stands out worked out from the figures below

Templeton has the highest household income ($101k).

Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Templeton	Gardner
People
Population	8,252Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average	43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA
	Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4%	18.3%±2.3Lowest 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+	14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,154±$15kHighest about the MA average	$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA	$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$353Highest 31% below MA	$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA
	Templeton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,554Highest 24% below MA	$4,150Lowest 31% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Gardner and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.6%Lowest MA: 10%	13.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	31 minHighest 5% above MA
Work from home	16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%	13.3%±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	#244 of 282 in MA	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Narragansett	Gardner
High school in town	Narragansett Regional High	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.