Compare towns
Winchendon vs Killingly vs Ware vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Winchendon | Killingly | Ware | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,440 |
17,867 |
10,048Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9 about the U.S. average |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Winchendon and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19kHighest about the U.S. average |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163Highest 11% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Winchendon and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Ware 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ware | Gardner |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Killingly High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.