Compare towns
Templeton vs Upton vs Gardner vs Royalston
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Upton | Gardner | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,252 |
8,189 |
21,148Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Templeton 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554 24% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #244 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Narragansett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.