Compare towns
Bloomfield vs Bristol vs Killingly vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bloomfield has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 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 | Bloomfield | Bristol | Killingly | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,754 |
61,462Highest |
17,867 |
17,551Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.4±3.3Highest 18% above CT |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Bloomfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Bloomfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,725±$14kHighest 3% above CT |
$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Bloomfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,900±$11k 22% below CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
$288,600±$15kHighest 21% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Killingly and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,881±$175Highest 26% above CT |
$1,338±$45 10% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,795Highest 13% below CT |
$5,449 18% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±11.2 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.7% CT: 10% |
11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1% CT: 66.5% |
64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
28 minHighest 5% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.2%±3.1Highest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #139 of 149 in CT | #115 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bloomfield School District · Capitol Region Education Council | Bristol School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Academy of International Studies 6-12 | Bristol Central High School | Killingly High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
14.0Highest |
11.1 |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.