Compare towns
Gardner vs Griswold vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Thompson has the highest household income ($94k).
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 | Gardner | Griswold | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
11,530 |
9,337Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$78,719±$11k about the U.S. average |
$93,629±$18kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Thompson and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,177±$65Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,628Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Thompson 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #118 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Griswold School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Griswold High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.5 |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.