Compare towns

Exeter vs Plainfield vs Killingly vs Scituate

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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Scituate has the oldest population (median age 49.9).

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.

MeasureExeterPlainfieldKillinglyScituate
People
Population
7,195Lowest
15,141
17,867Highest
10,517
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
+0.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
37.7±5.9
3% below U.S.
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
49.9±4Highest
28% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19.7%±4.7
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.9%±3.3Lowest
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%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Scituate and Killingly 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%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
34.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
11.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±1.7Lowest
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±$30k
38% above U.S.
$76,993±$8kLowest
5% below U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$112,315±$23kHighest
39% above U.S.
Scituate and Exeter 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.
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$449,300±$26k
35% above U.S.
Exeter and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,317±$307
7% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,489±$251Highest
5% above U.S.
Scituate and Exeter 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.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$3,922Lowest
26% above U.S.
$5,265
69% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
91%±26.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
59.6%±25.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Scituate 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%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
80.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
22 minLowest
15% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
28 min
6% above U.S.
31 minHighest
16% above U.S.
Work from home
17.2%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
13.3%±5.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Exeter and Scituate 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 #131 of 149 in CT #136 of 149 in CT #17 of 38 in RI
School district Exeter-West Greenwich Plainfield School District Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Scituate
High school in town None in town Plainfield High School Killingly High School Scituate High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.3Lowest
11.1Highest
10.8
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.