Compare towns
Templeton vs Ware 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 highest household income ($101k).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Ware | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,252 |
6,369Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
39.8±6Lowest 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%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Gardner and Ware 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% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353Highest 31% below MA |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,109±$51 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 |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Gardner 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% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
58.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Templeton and Ware 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 | #267 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 History | 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.