Compare towns
Foster vs Putnam vs Plainfield vs Killingly
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 people working from home (17.7%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
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 | Putnam | Plainfield | Killingly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,523Lowest |
9,292 |
15,141 |
17,867Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 47.1±3Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
| Foster and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Foster 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% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,646±$18kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$30kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,509±$556Highest 7% above U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Foster and Plainfield 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. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Foster and Killingly 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% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Foster 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 | #22 of 38 in RI | #128 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Foster | Putnam School District | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.3 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.