Compare towns
Putnam vs Gardner vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
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 | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Putnam 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest 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% |
5.6%±1.8Highest 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 | $70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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. |
$4,209Highest 35% 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% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Plainfield 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Gardner | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Gardner High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
10.3 |
| 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.