Compare towns
Gardner vs Whitman 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%).
Whitman has the most expensive homes ($473k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 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.
| Measure | Gardner | Whitman | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,295 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.4±1.8 4% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Whitman 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman 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% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Whitman 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. |
$108,933±$14kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$472,700±$12kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Whitman 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Whitman-Hanson | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | 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.