Compare towns
Lancaster vs Plainfield vs Killingly vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Lancaster | Plainfield | Killingly | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
15,141 |
17,867Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mendon and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.