Compare towns
Plainville vs Killingly vs Sterling vs Farmington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1968).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Farmington has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Sterling | Farmington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,551 |
17,867 |
3,629Lowest |
27,134Highest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
43.5±1.4 6% above CT |
| Plainville and Farmington 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.9%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Farmington 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% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.4%±1.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Farmington 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% CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
68.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.6%±1.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Farmington and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$141,120±$10kHighest 47% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$432,700±$14kHighest 18% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
— | $1,807±$82Highest 21% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 28% below CT |
$3,922Lowest 41% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$6,771Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
51.1%±7.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Farmington and Killingly 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% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
4.2%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
74.4% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1968Lowest 1 yr newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1980 13 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
24 min 10% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
22.1%±2.8Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #12 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District | Farmington School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Killingly High School | None in town | Farmington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| 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.