Compare towns
Killingly vs Thomaston vs West Haven vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Thomaston | West Haven | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
7,492Lowest |
55,351Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3 4% below CT |
41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average |
35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
| Thomaston 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 CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.3%±1.9 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Thomaston and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
16%±1.3Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Killingly and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9% CT: 42.5% |
34%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
$74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Thomaston 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 21% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$291,700±$9kHighest 20% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| West Haven and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141 30% below CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,442±$43Highest 3% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
$6,941Highest 4% above CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Thomaston and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% CT: 66.5% |
77.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
23 minLowest 14% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3Highest CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
9.2%±1.4 CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Killingly and Plainfield 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #120 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Thomaston School District | New Haven School District · West Haven School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | Thomaston High School | West Haven High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
10.7 |
15.6Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.