Compare towns
Southwick vs Killingly vs Shirley vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwick has the most homeowners (83.4%).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
Westfield has the shortest commute (27 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.
| Measure | Southwick | Killingly | Shirley | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,217 |
17,867 |
6,976Lowest |
40,378Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±1.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
39.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| Southwick and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Southwick and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $120,462±$16k 49% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$87,753±$6k 9% above U.S. |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $397,500±$27k 19% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$427,600±$36kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$325,100±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,332±$72 6% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,117±$60 21% below U.S. |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,331Highest 71% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
$4,746 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±10 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.5%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shirley and Southwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley and Southwick 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 | #211 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Ayer Shirley School District | Westfield |
| High school in town | Southwick Regional School | Killingly High School | None in town | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
11.1 |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.