Compare towns
Middlesex vs Plainfield vs Killingly vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Waterbury has the most expensive homes ($447k 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 | Middlesex | Plainfield | Killingly | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
15,141 |
17,867Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| 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.