Compare towns
Foster vs Killingly vs Ashford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Foster has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Killingly has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Ashford has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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.
| Measure | Foster | Killingly | Ashford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,523 |
17,867Highest |
4,226Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18k 41% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$121,926±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Ashford and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$334,800±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,246±$208 12% below U.S. |
| Foster and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,135Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,982 124% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashford and Foster 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #136 of 149 in CT | #90 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ashford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.