Compare towns
Carlisle vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Billerica
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carlisle has the most people working from home (38.5%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
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 | Carlisle | Killingly | Plainfield | Billerica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,239Lowest |
17,867 |
15,141 |
42,003Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.1Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.3±1.6 11% above U.S. |
| Carlisle and Billerica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Carlisle and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Carlisle and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 87.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Billerica and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$148,200±$8k 84% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,103,900±$46kHighest 232% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$612,000±$13k 84% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$855 7% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,282±$173Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Billerica and Carlisle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$6,358 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77%±21.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.3%±8.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 1.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 38.5%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.5%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #146 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Carlisle | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Billerica · Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School | Billerica Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
14.1Highest |
| 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.