Compare towns
Plainville vs Killingly vs Needham vs Bristol
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Bristol has the most renters (35.1% rent).
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 | Plainville | Killingly | Needham | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551Lowest |
17,867 |
32,459 |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
37.9±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Plainville and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$79,076±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$277,800±$8k 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,338±$45 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,449 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±5.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±1.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #115 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | — | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Killingly High School | — | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.