Compare towns

Putnam vs Dunstable vs Plainville vs Killingly

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).
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).

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.

MeasurePutnamDunstablePlainvilleKillingly
People
Population
9,292
3,408Lowest
17,551
17,867Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
41.5±2.4
7% above U.S.
44.3±1.5Highest
14% above U.S.
39.5±3Lowest
about the U.S. average
Plainville and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
22.4%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Dunstable and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
15%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4
U.S.: 17.2%
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+
20%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.1%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
Dunstable and Plainville 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
13% below U.S.
$208,512±$23kHighest
158% above U.S.
$84,343±$7k
4% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$269,200±$11k
19% below U.S.
$674,000±$30kHighest
103% above U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
$1,325±$637Highest
6% below U.S.
$1,126±$147
20% below U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
Dunstable and Putnam 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.
$9,020Highest
189% above U.S.
$4,798
54% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
60%±77.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunstable 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%
0.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
96.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
25 min
6% below U.S.
34 minHighest
30% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
20%±3.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 149 in CT #4 of 282 in MA #89 of 149 in CT #136 of 149 in CT
School district Putnam School District Groton-Dunstable Judicial Centers · Plainville School District Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town Putnam High School None in town Plainville High School Killingly High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.5Lowest
—
11.4Highest
11.1
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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.