Compare towns
Ashford vs Plainville vs Willington
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%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Willington has the most renters (36% 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 | Ashford | Plainville | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
17,551Highest |
5,575 |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3 8% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
37.5±7.2Lowest 9% below CT |
| Plainville and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Ashford and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
23.3%±6.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Willington and Plainville 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% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
33.2% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
14.6%±6.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Willington and Plainville 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 |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$91,114±$12k 5% below CT |
| Ashford and Willington 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 |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$305,800±$48k 17% below CT |
| Ashford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208 16% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,357±$116Highest 9% below CT |
| Willington and Ashford 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 |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
$5,419 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
70%±20.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Willington 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% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
13%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
64%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Willington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.