Compare towns

Foster vs Killingly vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Foster has the most expensive homes ($425k median).
Killingly has the most renters (28.4% rent).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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.

MeasureFosterKillinglyPlainfieldWindsor Locks
People
Population
4,523Lowest
17,867Highest
15,141
12,579
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3%
U.S.: +7.4%
— — —
Median age
47.1±3Highest
21% above U.S.
39.5±3
about the U.S. average
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
41.4±2.6
6% above U.S.
Kids under 18
18.7%±4.4
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±2.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Killingly and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.5%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
19.7%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
Killingly and Foster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
22.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±2.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$113,646±$18kHighest
41% above U.S.
$84,350±$8k
4% above U.S.
$76,993±$8kLowest
5% below U.S.
$81,205±$13k
about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$425,300±$30kHighest
28% above U.S.
$288,600±$15k
13% below U.S.
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$258,800±$14kLowest
22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,509±$556Highest
7% above U.S.
$1,044±$141Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,394±$187
about the U.S. average
Foster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,135Highest
129% above U.S.
$3,922
26% above U.S.
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
65.8%±25.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
58.2%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Foster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
10.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1968
12 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
28 min
6% above U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
Work from home
17.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11.1%±2.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #22 of 38 in RI #136 of 149 in CT #131 of 149 in CT #109 of 149 in CT
School district Foster Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS Plainfield School District Windsor Locks School District
High school in town None in town Killingly High School Plainfield High School Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Highest
10.3
8.9Lowest
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.