Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gardner vs Marshfield
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Marshfield has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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 | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
38.7±6.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$60,313±$10kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$214,100±$37kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,317±$126Highest 7% below U.S. |
| Marshfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,668Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.7%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.5%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Marshfield 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.