Compare towns
Plainfield vs Sandy Hook 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
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Sandy Hook has the highest household income ($161k).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Sandy Hook | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
9,863Lowest |
12,579 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
43.1±3Highest 5% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Sandy Hook 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 CT: 20.2% |
22.6%±4.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Sandy Hook 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest 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% |
60.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Sandy Hook 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 20% below CT |
$160,814±$25kHighest 68% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$501,200±$33kHighest 37% above CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,866±$439Highest 25% above CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Sandy Hook 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
52.4%±26.6 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Sandy Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
5.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
92.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
35 minHighest 33% above CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
23.1%±4.4Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
| Sandy Hook and Windsor Locks 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 | — | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
— | 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.