Compare towns
Ashford vs Foster vs Killingly vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Foster has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Ashford | Foster | Killingly | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
4,523 |
17,867Highest |
7,492 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Foster and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thomaston and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18k about the U.S. average |
$425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208 12% below U.S. |
$1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Foster and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982 124% above U.S. |
$7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford and Foster 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | #22 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Foster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.