Compare towns
Killingly vs Preston vs Webster vs Plainville
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 people working from home (11.1%).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Preston | Webster | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
4,821Lowest |
17,748 |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Preston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Webster 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% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Webster 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 4% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Preston 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 13% below U.S. |
$361,900±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Preston and Webster 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. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Preston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$3,999 28% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Killingly 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #271 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Preston School District | Webster | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Bartlett High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.