Compare towns
Killingly vs Sterling vs Gardner 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
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Sterling | Gardner | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
21,148Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Gardner 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Sterling 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. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Killingly 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. |
— | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Plainville and Gardner 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. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | Gardner | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Gardner High | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
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.