Compare towns
Plainfield vs Suffield vs Ware vs Windsor Locks
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 youngest population (median age 37).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
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 | Suffield | Ware | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,141 |
15,702Highest |
10,048Lowest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Ware 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% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Suffield 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% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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 5% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Suffield 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 35% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Suffield School District | Ware | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Suffield High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
10.9 |
11.1Highest |
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.