Compare towns
Quinebaug vs Gardner vs Colebrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Quinebaug has the most people working from home (23.3%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Colebrook has the most expensive homes ($343k median).
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 | Quinebaug | Gardner | Colebrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,193Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52.1±5 34% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Quinebaug and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colebrook and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,181±$36k 30% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,250±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Colebrook and Quinebaug are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$342,800±$19kHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,333±$626Highest 6% below U.S. |
| Colebrook and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,703Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$6,211Highest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±55 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±17.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Quinebaug and Gardner 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 | Colebrook School District |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | None in town |
| 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.