Compare towns
Worcester vs Killingly vs Plainville vs Shrewsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Shrewsbury has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Worcester | Killingly | Plainville | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
17,867 |
17,551Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 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+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$3,922Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$6,923Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.2%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Killingly High School | Plainville High School | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.4 |
14.4 |
| 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.