Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Killingly 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%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Killingly | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
15,141 |
17,867Highest |
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. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
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% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 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 |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above 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 |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% 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. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.