Compare towns
Putnam vs Gardner vs Plainfield vs Griswold
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Griswold has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
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 | Griswold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,141 |
11,530 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Griswold 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%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7 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% |
17.8%±3.5 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% |
19.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$78,719±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Griswold and Plainfield 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. |
$275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Griswold 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. |
$1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Griswold 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,628Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Griswold and Gardner 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%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% |
73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6Lowest 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 | #118 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Griswold School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | Griswold High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
13.5Highest |
10.3 |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.