What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchendon has the most renters (23.4% rent).

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

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	Winchendon	Templeton
People
Population	10,440Highest	8,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average	40.3±5.1Highest 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	21.8%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.9%±5.9Highest 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+	16.9%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9%	14.7%±2.8Lowest 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+	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	26.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	3.4%±1.6Lowest 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	$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA	$101,154±$15kHighest about the MA average
	Templeton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA	$358,500±$12kHighest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,255±$163Highest 29% below MA	$1,207±$353Lowest 31% 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	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA	$4,554Highest 24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±26.1Lowest 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	18.5%Highest MA: 10%	10.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	28 minLowest 5% below MA
Work from home	11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	16.9%±5.1Highest 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	#269 of 282 in MA	#244 of 282 in MA
School district	Winchendon	Narragansett
High school in town	Murdock High School	Narragansett Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	12.2Highest
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.