Compare towns
Gardner vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield vs Spencer
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 renters (41.1% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Spencer has the most expensive homes ($382k 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 | Windsor Locks | Plainfield | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
12,579 |
15,141 |
12,008Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Spencer 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. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,387Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Spencer 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
63% 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. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Spencer 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
9.9 |
| 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.