Compare towns
Webster vs Plainville vs Killingly 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).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Killingly has the most homeowners (71.6%).
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 | Plainville | Killingly | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
17,551Lowest |
17,867 |
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 |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3Highest 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% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 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% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 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. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 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. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% 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. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 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% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Gardner |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Plainville High School | Killingly High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
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.