Compare towns
Gardner vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Templeton
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 oldest population (median age 43.7).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Templeton has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Plainfield | Putnam | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,141 |
7,120Lowest |
8,252 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
40.3±5.1 4% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Putnam 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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Putnam 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$65,511±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$101,154±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$245,100±$13kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$358,500±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,147±$43 19% below U.S. |
$1,207±$353Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Templeton and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$4,554Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Templeton 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% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Templeton and Gardner 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Plainfield School District | — | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | — | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | 12.2 |
| 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.