Compare towns
Putnam vs Killingly vs Mansfield vs Plainville
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Killingly | Mansfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
17,867 |
25,358Highest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| 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 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest 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+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$84,350±$8kHighest 12% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| 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 27% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,126±$147 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$3,922 41% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% CT: 66.5% |
71.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
28 minHighest 5% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Killingly High School | E. O. Smith High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.1 |
11.8Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.