Compare towns
Plainfield vs Mansfield vs Sterling 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
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Sterling has the highest household income ($103k).
Windsor Locks has the oldest population (median age 41.4).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plainfield | Mansfield | Sterling | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
25,358Highest |
3,629Lowest |
12,579 |
| Median age | 37±4.5 10% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
| Windsor Locks and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| 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+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
18% CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$102,695±$12kHighest 7% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Sterling and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
— | $1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Mansfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209 37% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield 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% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Sterling School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
11.8Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.