Compare towns
Templeton vs Leicester vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($413k median).
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.
| Measure | Templeton | Leicester | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
11,113 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
| Gardner and Leicester 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% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Templeton and Leicester 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% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% MA: 47.3% |
31%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,154±$15k about the MA average |
$105,173±$9kHighest about the MA average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
| Leicester and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
| Leicester and Templeton 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 |
$4,452 26% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 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 | #222 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Leicester | Gardner |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Leicester High | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
10.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.