Compare towns
Gardner vs Windsor Locks vs Plainville
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 expensive homes ($302k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
12,579Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% 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%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner 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%±2.7Lowest 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% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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±$13k about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% 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% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% 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. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner 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 | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Windsor Locks School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Windsor Locks High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
11.4 |
| 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.