Compare towns
Exeter vs Plainfield vs Killingly vs South Kingstown
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).
South Kingstown has the most expensive homes ($560k 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 | Exeter | Plainfield | Killingly | South Kingstown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,195Lowest |
15,141 |
17,867 |
32,073Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±5.9 3% below U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3Highest about the U.S. average |
38.9±2.2 about the U.S. average |
| Killingly and South Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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%±1.4Lowest 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% |
23%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Kingstown 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.1%±6.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
22.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$30kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$108,960±$10k 35% above U.S. |
| Exeter and South Kingstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $509,200±$43k 53% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$560,200±$22kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| South Kingstown and Exeter 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. |
$1,368±$194Highest 3% below U.S. |
| South Kingstown 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. |
$5,338 71% 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% |
52.9%±11 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 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 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below 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% |
14.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and South Kingstown 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 | #9 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 | Kingston Hill Academy · The Compass School |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School | South Kingstown High |
| 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.