Compare towns
Winchendon vs Templeton vs Royalston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Royalston has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Winchendon | Templeton | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,440Highest |
8,252 |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
40.3±5.1 about the MA average |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
| Royalston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10Lowest 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%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Royalston and Winchendon 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% MA: 47.3% |
28.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Winchendon 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±$15k about the MA average |
$102,109±$8kHighest about the MA average |
| Royalston and Templeton 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 |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
| Templeton and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163 29% below MA |
$1,207±$353Lowest 31% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
| Royalston and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 37% below MA |
$4,554Highest 24% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Winchendon 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.3% MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8Lowest 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 | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Narragansett Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.