Compare towns
Norwich vs Preston vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Norwich | Preston | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 39,973Highest |
4,821Lowest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest 6% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Norwich and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.1%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2 CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,024±$5kLowest 32% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11kLowest 34% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68Lowest 16% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703 29% below CT |
$4,749Highest 29% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2 CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 10 yrs older than CT |
1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Preston 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Preston School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.