What stands out worked out from the figures below

Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).

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

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	Griswold	Gardner
People
Population	11,530Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
	Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Gardner and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,719±$11kHighest about the U.S. average	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$275,900±$42kLowest 17% below U.S.	$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S.
	Gardner and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,177±$65Highest 17% below U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,628Highest 48% above U.S.	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Griswold and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	31 minLowest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Gardner and Griswold 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	#118 of 149 in CT	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Griswold School District	Gardner
High school in town	Griswold High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.5Lowest	13.5Highest
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.