Compare towns
Putnam vs Gardner vs Danielson vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Danielson has the youngest population (median age 34.5).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Putnam | Gardner | Danielson | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
21,148Highest |
4,209Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Danielson and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest 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+ | 20% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Danielson and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,009 29% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Plainville 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Gardner | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Gardner High | — | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.