Compare towns
Killingly vs Plainville vs Ayer
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 most affordable homes ($289k median).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 43.2).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Plainville | Ayer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
9,943 |
8,645Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Killingly 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% |
18.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Killingly 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% |
44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$476,000±$35kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,329Highest 71% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainville and Ayer 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% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Plainville 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 | #102 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Plainville | Ayer Shirley School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.