Compare towns

Putnam vs Brookfield vs Killingly vs Plainville

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

MeasurePutnamBrookfieldKillinglyPlainville
People
Population
9,292
3,460Lowest
17,867Highest
17,551
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+1.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
52.4±2.1Highest
35% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
44.3±1.5
14% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
13.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
28.4%±5.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Brookfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
30%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$70,561±$7kLowest
13% below U.S.
$81,250±$37k
about the U.S. average
$84,350±$8kHighest
4% above U.S.
$84,343±$7k
4% above U.S.
Killingly and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$341,900±$23kHighest
about the U.S. average
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44Highest
19% below U.S.
$1,014±$161Lowest
28% below U.S.
$1,044±$141
26% below U.S.
$1,126±$147
20% below U.S.
Putnam and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
$5,092Highest
63% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
$4,798
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.7%±11.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Brookfield and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
11.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
32 minHighest
23% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
12%±5.5Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookfield and Killingly 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 #128 of 149 in CT #109 of 282 in MA #136 of 149 in CT #89 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Brookfield Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town Putnam High School None in town Killingly High School Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
—
11.1
11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.