Compare towns
Windsor vs Gardner vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the highest household income ($116k).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Windsor | Gardner | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065 |
21,148Highest |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50.6±9.5Highest 27% above MA |
| Plainfield and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$67,518±$8k 35% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$309,000±$47k 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,292±$558Highest 27% below MA |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$4,150 31% below MA |
$4,458Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Gardner and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Windsor 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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.