Compare towns
Killingly vs Sturbridge vs Thomaston 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 youngest population (median age 39.5).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Thomaston has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
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 | Sturbridge | Thomaston | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
9,960 |
7,492Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Thomaston 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% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Thomaston 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. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Highest 16% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Sturbridge and Plainville 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. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston 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% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 149 in CT | #89 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Thomaston School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Thomaston High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
7.7Lowest |
10.7 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.