Compare towns
Reading vs Thompson vs Killingly vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Thompson has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Westford has the highest household income ($187k).
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 | Reading | Thompson | Killingly | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,612Highest |
9,337Lowest |
17,867 |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.8±1.2 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Killingly and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,912±$13k 106% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18k 16% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,991±$273 41% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Westford and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,320 199% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Westford 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Thompson School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Killingly High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9Lowest |
11.1 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.