Compare towns

Plainfield vs Sterling vs Webster vs Killingly

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k 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.

MeasurePlainfieldSterlingWebsterKillingly
People
Population
15,141
3,629Lowest
17,748
17,867Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — —
+6%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
39.4±5.9
about the U.S. average
39.9±2.9Highest
about the U.S. average
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.8%±5.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Sterling and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.6%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
13%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.6%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Killingly and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
18%
U.S.: 35.7%
25.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
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
$76,993±$8k
5% below U.S.
$102,695±$12kHighest
27% above U.S.
$72,895±$6kLowest
10% below U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
Sterling and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16kLowest
18% below U.S.
$283,400±$17k
15% below U.S.
$361,500±$12kHighest
9% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
—
$1,228±$81Highest
13% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
Webster and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$4,551Highest
46% above U.S.
$3,999
28% above U.S.
$3,922Lowest
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
32%±18.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
45.7%±6.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
12.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
81.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1988Highest
8 yrs newer than U.S.
1962Lowest
18 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
31 min
16% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
11.6%±6.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Sterling 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 #131 of 149 in CT #119 of 149 in CT #271 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District Sterling School District Webster Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town Plainfield High School None in town Bartlett High School Killingly High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Lowest
—
11.6Highest
11.1
On TownTapestry
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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.