Compare towns
Brookfield vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (12%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Hampden has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Brookfield | Killingly | Plainfield | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
50.9±3.3 31% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
14%±3.5 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+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37k about the U.S. average |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$104,536±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$358,200±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,132±$107 20% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 63% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Killingly 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
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.


