Compare towns
Killingly vs Ware vs Derby 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).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
Derby has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Ware | Derby | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
10,048Lowest |
12,487 |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
46.4±3.1Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Derby 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Derby and Ware 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Derby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,500±$11k about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Killingly and Plainville 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. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$256,700±$21k 23% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Ware 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 26% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,452±$95Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,510Highest 77% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.9%±12.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Derby 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% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% 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% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Derby and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #138 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ware | Derby School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Derby High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.1 |
9.7Lowest |
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.