Compare towns
Ashford vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Killingly | Plainfield | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
9,337 |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3 8% below CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Thompson and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
21.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield 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 27% above CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$93,629±$18k about the CT average |
| Ashford and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18kHighest 9% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208Highest 16% below CT |
$1,044±$141 30% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
| Ashford and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$3,922 41% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$3,822Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±18.7Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Thompson and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
5.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
84.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
32 min 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4 CT: 16% |
| Ashford and Thompson 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
10.3 |
7.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.