Compare towns
Hardwick vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hardwick has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Hardwick | Killingly | Plainfield | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Lowest |
17,867Highest |
15,141 |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±9.8Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
| Hardwick and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hardwick and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hardwick and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hardwick and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,000±$22kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$67k 4% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Barre and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$119 22% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Hardwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,400 41% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hardwick and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barre 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 | #163 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainfield School District | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | Plainfield High School | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
10.3Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.