Compare towns
Webster vs Killingly vs Smithfield vs Douglas
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 renters (40.2% rent).
Killingly has the most affordable homes ($289k median).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
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 | Smithfield | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
17,867 |
22,233Highest |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
44±2.6Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Smithfield 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%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12k 34% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster 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. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% 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% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Smithfield 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 | #8 of 38 in RI | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Smithfield | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Killingly High School | Smithfield High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.1 |
11.8Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| 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.