Compare towns
Gardner 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
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Gardner | Plainfield | Killingly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
15,141Lowest |
17,867 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Gardner | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
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.