Compare towns
Killingly vs Sterling vs Smithfield 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
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 | Smithfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
22,233Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Smithfield 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% |
16.9%±2.4 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% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% 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% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Smithfield 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. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Plainville and Killingly 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. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$4,798 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% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Killingly 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 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. |
25 min 7% below 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% |
14%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | Smithfield | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Smithfield High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
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.