Compare towns
Plainfield vs Preston vs Winchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Winchester has the most renters (34.2% rent).
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 | Preston | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
4,821Lowest |
10,284 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
46.2±7 12% above CT |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
| Winchester and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7 CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Preston 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% |
28.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,174±$116Lowest 21% below CT |
| Preston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,780Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Preston and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10%±4 CT: 16% |
10.3%±6Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Preston and Plainfield 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Preston School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.