Compare towns
Boston vs Killingly vs Needham vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Boston | Killingly | Needham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
17,867 |
32,459 |
15,141Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Needham and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 21% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 43% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Needham | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Killingly High School | Needham High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.1 |
11.9 |
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.