Compare towns
Plainville vs Killingly vs Preston vs New Britain
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Killingly has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
New Britain has the most renters (54.9% 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 | Preston | New Britain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
17,867 |
4,821Lowest |
74,223Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +1.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
34.3±1.2Lowest 17% below CT |
| Preston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
22%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| New Britain and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
14.6%±1.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
19.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
9.4%±1Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$58,613±$2kLowest 39% below CT |
| Preston and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$223,600±$6kLowest 39% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,253±$45 16% below CT |
| Preston and New Britain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 28% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$5,846Highest 12% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
55.2%±4.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
| New Britain and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
18.1%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
45.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
28 minHighest 5% above CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
22 min 19% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
8%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Killingly and Plainville 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #149 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Preston School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Capitol Region Education Council |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Killingly High School | None in town | New Britain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.