Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Melrose vs Plainfield vs Killingly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Melrose has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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.
| Measure | Brooklyn | Melrose | Plainfield | Killingly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
29,650Highest |
15,141 |
17,867 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
| Brooklyn and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Melrose and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #62 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Melrose | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | None in town | Melrose High | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.