Compare towns
Chester vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Killingly | Plainfield | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,825 |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
2,303Lowest |
| Median age | 54±3.4 31% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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%±4 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.9% CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
63.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest 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±$18k 14% above CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$135,000±$22kHighest 41% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $442,200±$25k 21% above CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$629,900±$105kHighest 72% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$247 4% above CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,719±$1kHighest 16% above CT |
| Lyme and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,364 4% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$7,328Highest 10% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Chester and Killingly 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% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
2.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
90.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 7% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
31 minHighest 17% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.3%±5.6 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
27.6%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Lyme and Chester 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Chester School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 18 |
| 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 |
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.