Compare towns
Plainfield vs Killingly vs Hawley vs Wendell
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 most people working from home (26.2%).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Hawley has the oldest population (median age 56.8).
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 | Plainfield | Killingly | Hawley | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616 |
17,867Highest |
277Lowest |
850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.6±9.5 30% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
56.8±7.2Highest 46% above U.S. |
47.1±8.8 21% above U.S. |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±9.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±10 U.S.: 22% |
16%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
37.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$14kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$87,500±$26kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$65,288±$14k 19% below U.S. |
| Hawley and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$47k 7% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$309,600±$38kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$290,300±$31k 13% below U.S. |
| Hawley and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$558Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,239±$519 12% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,458 43% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,097 31% above U.S. |
$4,519Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wendell and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±12.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.8%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Hawley 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | — | Killingly High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.