Compare towns

Exeter vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Voluntown

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Voluntown has the oldest population (median age 48.3).

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.

MeasureExeterKillinglyPlainfieldVoluntown
People
Population
7,195
17,867Highest
15,141
2,604Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— — —
Median age
37.7±5.9
3% below U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
48.3±1.7Highest
24% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.7%±4.7
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
16.4%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Killingly and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.2%±3.8
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
Killingly and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
46.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
26.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
11.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$111,250±$30kHighest
38% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$76,993±$8kLowest
5% below U.S.
$101,964±$25k
26% above U.S.
Exeter and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$509,200±$43kHighest
53% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$356,100±$16k
7% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,317±$307Highest
7% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,166±$191
17% below U.S.
Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,881Highest
89% above U.S.
$3,922Lowest
26% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$4,955
59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
91%±26.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±24.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Voluntown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
83.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1968Lowest
12 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1983
3 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minLowest
15% below U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
31 minHighest
19% above U.S.
Work from home
17.2%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
8.9%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Exeter 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 #14 of 38 in RI #136 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT #53 of 149 in CT
School district Exeter-West Greenwich Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Plainfield School District Voluntown School District
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

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.