Compare towns
Killingly vs Willington vs Ayer 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 oldest population (median age 39.5).
Willington has the most renters (36% rent).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Willington | Ayer | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867Highest |
5,575Lowest |
8,645 |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3Highest about the U.S. average |
37.5±7.2 4% below U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Ayer 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% |
12.8%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer 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% |
23.3%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Willington and Killingly 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% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$91,114±$12k 13% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Willington 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. |
$305,800±$48k 8% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,357±$116 4% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Willington 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. |
$5,419Highest 74% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
70%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Willington and Ayer 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% |
13%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
64%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 149 in CT | #104 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Willington School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | 11.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.