Compare towns
Athol vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the oldest population (median age 41.3).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (73.6%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% 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 | Athol | Killingly | Plainfield | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011Lowest |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
| Athol and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403 9% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Athol and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Killingly and Athol 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Athol High | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.