Compare towns
Killingly vs Columbia vs Suffield vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k median).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Killingly | Columbia | Suffield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
5,300Lowest |
15,702 |
17,551 |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest 4% below CT |
51.3±10.3Highest 25% above CT |
44.5±1.7 8% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Columbia and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Columbia and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5 CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
$119,472±$13k 25% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Columbia and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 30% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Suffield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
1979 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Columbia and Suffield 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Columbia School District | Suffield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Suffield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 10.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.