What stands out worked out from the figures below

Templeton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).

Winchendon has the most renters (23.4% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Templeton	Winchendon
People
Population	8,252Lowest	10,440Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±5.1Highest about the MA average	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average
	Templeton and Winchendon 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%	21.8%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Templeton and Winchendon 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%	16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Winchendon and Templeton 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%	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Winchendon and Templeton 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	$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA
	Templeton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA	$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA
	Winchendon 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	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Templeton 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%	18.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%	76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	32 minHighest 11% above MA
Work from home	16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6%	11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Templeton and Winchendon 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	#269 of 282 in MA
School district	Narragansett	Winchendon
High school in town	Narragansett Regional High	Murdock High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	11.3Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.