Compare towns
Griswold vs Gardner vs Plainfield vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Griswold has the highest household income ($79k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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 | Griswold | Gardner | Plainfield | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
21,148Highest |
15,141 |
10,284Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Griswold and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% 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±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 48% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
13.5Highest |
10.3 |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.