Compare towns
Chester vs Griswold vs Killingly vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most people working from home (18.3%).
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 | Chester | Griswold | Killingly | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,825Lowest |
11,530 |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 54±3.4Highest 31% above CT |
48.1±3.9 17% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Chester and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.5%±3.7 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.8%±4Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.8%±3.5 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
19.9% CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9 CT: 7.1% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,191±$18kHighest 14% above CT |
$78,719±$11k 18% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
| Chester and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25kHighest 21% above CT |
$275,900±$42k 25% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$247Highest 4% above CT |
$1,177±$65 21% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364Highest 4% below CT |
$4,628 30% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1 CT: 52.6% |
57.5%±15.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Griswold and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest CT: 10% |
7.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% CT: 66.5% |
73.3% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above CT |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6Highest CT: 16% |
9%±3.6Lowest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Chester 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 | #8 of 149 in CT | #118 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Chester School District | Griswold School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Griswold High School | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.