Compare towns
East Brooklyn vs Killingly vs Shirley vs Sprague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
East Brooklyn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
Sprague has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | East Brooklyn | Killingly | Shirley | Sprague |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,377Lowest |
17,867Highest |
6,976 |
2,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +34.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±12.2 19% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
48.5±10.7Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Sprague and East Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| East Brooklyn and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sprague and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Shirley and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,698±$29kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$92,850±$11k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,400±$63k 11% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$427,600±$36kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$273,500±$17kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,061±$474 25% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,247±$144 12% below U.S. |
| Shirley and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,747Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$5,156Highest 65% above U.S. |
$4,668 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±35.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley and East Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 1.9%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley 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 | — | #136 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA | #141 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ayer Shirley School District | Sprague School District |
| High school in town | — | Killingly High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.