Compare towns
Gardner vs Killingly vs Lancaster vs Plainfield
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).
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Killingly | Lancaster | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
17,867 |
8,606Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Plainfield 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% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Killingly 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. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Gardner 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% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Nashoba | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Killingly High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.1 |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.