Compare towns
Killingly vs Orange vs Plainville vs Smithfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Orange has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Orange | Plainville | Smithfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
14,315Lowest |
17,551 |
22,233Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.4Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
| Orange and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Orange and Smithfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$142,325±$10kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$491,500±$17kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$2,172±$161Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$8,988Highest 188% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±12.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orange and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Orange and Smithfield 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 | #38 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Orange School District · Regional School District 05 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Smithfield |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Plainville High School | Smithfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
11.8Highest |
| 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.