Compare towns
Bloomfield vs Preston vs Windsor Locks vs Simsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bloomfield has the most renters (28.9% rent).
Preston has the most homeowners (91.7%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Simsbury has the most people working from home (27.1%).
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 | Bloomfield | Preston | Windsor Locks | Simsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,754 |
4,821Lowest |
12,579 |
25,066Highest |
| Median age | 48.4±3.3Highest 18% above CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
42.3±2.1 about the CT average |
| Bloomfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.7%±2.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
24.9%±2.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Simsbury and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±1.5 CT: 18.5% |
| Bloomfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8% CT: 42.5% |
28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
71.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.6%±1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Bloomfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,725±$14k 3% above CT |
$116,648±$27k 22% above CT |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
$157,907±$11kHighest 65% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $286,900±$11k 22% below CT |
$361,900±$13k about the CT average |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
$443,500±$11kHighest 21% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,881±$175 26% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT |
$2,203±$118Highest 48% above CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,795 13% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$9,115Highest 37% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±11.2 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
48%±8.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
4.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
75.2% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1973Highest 6 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 18.2%±3.1 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
27.1%±3Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #139 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #13 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bloomfield School District · Capitol Region Education Council | Preston School District | Windsor Locks School District | Simsbury School District |
| High school in town | Academy of International Studies 6-12 | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Simsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1 |
— | 8.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.