Compare towns
Bristol vs Killingly vs Portsmouth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (33.9% rent).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Portsmouth has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Bristol | Killingly | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,220Highest |
17,867 |
17,644Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.2 11% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48±2.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Portsmouth and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,764±$8k 21% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$117,467±$9kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$25k 46% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$597,000±$36kHighest 79% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,579±$118 12% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,719±$227Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,393 73% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,318Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±15Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Portsmouth and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth and Bristol 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 | #20 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #7 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Bristol Warren | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Portsmouth |
| High school in town | Mt. Hope High School | Killingly High School | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.