Compare towns
Gardner vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Westminster
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 people working from home (13.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Westminster has the most expensive homes ($422k median).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,141 |
7,120Lowest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.2±5.1 6% above U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
21.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%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% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest 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. |
$106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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. |
$422,000±$36kHighest 27% 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. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,564Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$4,973Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest 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% |
87.6%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. |
1977Highest 3 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Westminster 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 | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Plainfield School District | — | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | — | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
10.3Lowest |
— | 13.6Highest |
| 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.