Compare towns
Killingly vs Mansfield vs Plainville vs Thompson
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).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% 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.
| Measure | Killingly | Mansfield | Plainville | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
25,358Highest |
17,551 |
9,337Lowest |
| Median age | 39.5±3 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
54.1±2.2Highest 32% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
11.4%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Plainville 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
24.4%±4.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Thompson 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% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
21.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$93,629±$18kHighest about the CT average |
| Thompson and Killingly 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 |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$291,900±$24k 20% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 30% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,012±$344Lowest 32% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922 41% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
$3,822Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
54%±18.7 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
5.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
84.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1963Lowest 4 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
32 minHighest 20% above CT |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
13.1%±4.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | E. O. Smith High School | Plainville High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.8Highest |
11.4 |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.