Compare towns
Putnam vs Chaplin vs Plainfield vs Killingly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Killingly has the most expensive homes ($289k median).
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 | Putnam | Chaplin | Plainfield | Killingly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292 |
2,070Lowest |
15,141 |
17,867Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3Highest 6% above CT |
43.7±4.8Highest 6% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
| Chaplin and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$255,200±$24kLowest 30% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$288,600±$15kHighest 21% below CT |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
| Chaplin and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,524Highest 32% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$3,922 41% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
28 min 5% above CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Plainfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Parish Hill High School | Plainfield High School | Killingly High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
7.5Lowest |
10.3 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.