Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gardner vs Pomfret
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Pomfret has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Plainfield | Gardner | Pomfret |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141 |
21,148Highest |
4,317Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
45.9±3.7Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Pomfret and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$108,476±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$409,100±$28kHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,210±$300Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Pomfret and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pomfret and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Pomfret 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #39 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Gardner | Pomfret School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.