Compare towns

Plainfield vs Exeter vs Windsor Locks vs Canterbury

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

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Plainfield has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($509k median).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Canterbury has the oldest population (median age 48.4).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldExeterWindsor LocksCanterbury
People
Population
15,141Highest
7,195
12,579
5,124Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+0.5%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
37.7±5.9
3% below U.S.
41.4±2.6
6% above U.S.
48.4±4.5Highest
24% above U.S.
Canterbury and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
19.7%±4.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
15%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Exeter and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±3.8
U.S.: 17.2%
18.2%±2.7
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Canterbury and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
15%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
46.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
26.2%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
11.1%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.9%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter 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
$76,993±$8kLowest
5% below U.S.
$111,250±$30kHighest
38% above U.S.
$81,205±$13k
about the U.S. average
$103,198±$6k
28% above U.S.
Exeter and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$509,200±$43kHighest
53% above U.S.
$258,800±$14kLowest
22% below U.S.
$334,200±$12k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,317±$307
7% below U.S.
$1,394±$187Highest
about the U.S. average
$924±$367Lowest
35% below U.S.
Windsor Locks and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$5,881Highest
89% above U.S.
$3,688Lowest
18% above U.S.
$4,140
33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
91%±26.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
58.2%±16.8
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±13
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
77.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1987Highest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
22 min
15% below U.S.
22 minLowest
17% below U.S.
32 minHighest
20% above U.S.
Work from home
10%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.2%±6.1
U.S.: 15.1%
17.7%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
14.7%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Windsor Locks and Exeter 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 #131 of 149 in CT #14 of 38 in RI #109 of 149 in CT #125 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District Exeter-West Greenwich Windsor Locks School District Canterbury School District
High school in town Plainfield High School None in town Windsor Locks High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Highest
—
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.