What stands out worked out from the figures below

Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).

Amherst Town has the most people working from home (21%).

Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Killingly	Amherst Town
People
Population	17,867Lowest	38,182Highest
Median age	39.5±3Highest about the U.S. average	21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	7.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	59.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S.	$66,968±$7kLowest 17% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S.	$484,900±$21kHighest 46% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S.	$1,671±$93Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S.	$8,787Highest 182% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	11.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21%±2.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#136 of 149 in CT	#58 of 282 in MA
School district	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS	Amherst · Amherst-Pelham
High school in town	Killingly High School	Amherst Regional High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.