Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Putnam

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroKillinglyPlainfieldPutnam
People
Population
12,122
17,867Highest
15,141
9,292Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
— — —
Median age
45.6±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
Brattleboro and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±2.8
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.5%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
$58,241±$8kLowest
28% below U.S.
$84,350±$8kHighest
4% above U.S.
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$70,561±$7k
13% 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
$257,300±$18kLowest
23% below U.S.
$288,600±$15kHighest
13% below U.S.
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58
24% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,204±$70Highest
15% below U.S.
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700Highest
83% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Brattleboro and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1971Highest
9 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
28 minHighest
6% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
25 min
6% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #33 of 70 in VT #136 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT #128 of 149 in CT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Plainfield School District Putnam School District
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School Killingly High School Plainfield High School Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
11.1Highest
10.3
9.5
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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.