What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).

Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Gardner	Plainville
People
Population	21,148Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
	Plainville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Gardner and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainville 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	30%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Plainville 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±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.	$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,126±$147Highest 20% below U.S.
	Plainville 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.	$4,798Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gardner and Plainville 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%	6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner and Plainville 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	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Gardner	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Gardner High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.