Compare towns
Douglas vs Gardner vs Killingly vs Lakeville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Lakeville has the most expensive homes ($566k median).
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 | Douglas | Gardner | Killingly | Lakeville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,867 |
11,944 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.8±1.9 13% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lakeville and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$133,984±$11k 66% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$565,900±$27kHighest 70% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,884±$466Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Lakeville and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,536 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lakeville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Lakeville 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #96 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Gardner | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Gardner High | Killingly High School | Apponequet Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.1 |
10.9 |
| 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.