Compare towns
Lowell 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
Lowell has the most expensive homes ($429k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Lowell | Plainfield | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,368Highest |
15,141 |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499Highest 44% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3 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 | #255 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lowell | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.