Compare towns
Templeton vs Plainfield vs Townsend vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Townsend | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
15,141 |
9,100 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1 4% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Townsend 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 25% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Townsend 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 8% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 15% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554 46% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Plainfield School District | North Middlesex | Gardner |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Plainfield High School | North Middlesex Regional | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
10.3Lowest |
13.1 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.