Compare towns
Gardner vs Plainfield vs Warren
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 most homeowners (73.6%).
Warren has the most expensive homes ($334k 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 | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,141 |
5,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
38.7±7.3 about the U.S. average |
| Gardner and Warren 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% |
20.8%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Warren 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% |
14.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Plainfield 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2% 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% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest 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±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$66,082±$6kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner 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±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$333,700±$35kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Warren and Gardner 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. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$890±$174Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,530Highest 45% 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% |
29.7%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Plainfield 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% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Plainfield 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 | #165 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | Quaboag Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.3 |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.