Compare towns
Killingly vs Webster vs Gardner vs Plainfield
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 highest household income ($84k).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Webster | Gardner | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
12,228Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
37.2±2.1 4% below U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Gardner 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 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner 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% |
18.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Plainfield 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. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Plainfield 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. |
$333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner 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. |
$1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922 26% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 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 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner and Killingly 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — | Gardner | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | — | Gardner High | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 13.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.