Compare towns
Plainville vs Gardner vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
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 | Plainville | Gardner | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Lowest |
21,148 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37.9±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bristol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest 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+ | 30% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,076±$6k about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,338±$45Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,449Highest 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±5.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bristol and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Bristol 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Gardner | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Gardner High | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.5 |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.