Compare towns
Webster vs Killingly vs Plainville vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Gardner has the most people working from home (13.3%).
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 | Webster | Killingly | Plainville | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
17,867 |
17,551Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest 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+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gardner 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Killingly High School | Plainville High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.