Compare towns
Winchester vs Gardner vs Winsted
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the most homeowners (65.8%).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Winsted has the most affordable homes ($219k 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 | Winchester | Gardner | Winsted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,284 |
21,148Highest |
6,977Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47.6±7.3 22% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Winsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gardner and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Winsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Winsted and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,519±$12k 18% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$64,871±$12kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17k 25% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$218,900±$14kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,183±$130Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Winsted and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,754Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±16.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Winsted 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
13.5Highest |
— |
| 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.