Compare towns
Hamden vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamden has the highest household income ($98k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Hamden | Windsor Locks | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
12,579Lowest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor Locks and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
| Hamden and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9kHighest 19% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784Highest 17% above CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Hamden 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 | #122 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.