Compare towns
Plainville vs Killingly vs Somers vs Bristol
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).
Somers has the highest household income ($125k).
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 | Somers | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
17,867 |
10,308Lowest |
61,462Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
43.1±2.6 5% above CT |
37.9±1.5Lowest 8% below CT |
| Plainville and Somers 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% |
21.1%±4.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±1.7 CT: 20.2% |
| Somers and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.3 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| 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% CT: 42.5% |
22.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
37.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30.3% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.8%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
| 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 12% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$124,705±$15kHighest 30% above CT |
$79,076±$6kLowest 17% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$395,800±$21kHighest 8% above CT |
$277,800±$8k 24% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,184±$346 20% below CT |
$1,338±$45Highest 10% below CT |
| Bristol and Somers 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 |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
$5,449 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
51.6%±13.9 CT: 52.6% |
55.5%±5.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Bristol and Somers 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%Highest CT: 10% |
2.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
87.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
64.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1967Lowest same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
28 minHighest 5% above CT |
28 min 4% above CT |
24 min 11% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
16.2%±4.6Highest CT: 16% |
11.4%±1.7 CT: 16% |
| Somers and Bristol 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 | #66 of 149 in CT | #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 | Somers School District | Bristol School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Killingly High School | Somers High School | Bristol Central High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1 |
7.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.