Compare towns
Templeton vs Plainville 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%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Plainville | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252Lowest |
17,551 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Gardner 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Gardner 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% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Templeton and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Templeton and Plainville 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Plainville High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.