Compare towns
Gardner vs Thomaston 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 people working from home (13.3%).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Thomaston | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
7,492Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Thomaston 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Thomaston 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% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Thomaston 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. |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Thomaston 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. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% 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. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Thomaston School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Thomaston High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.7 |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.