Compare towns
Plainville vs Smithfield 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
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Smithfield has the most expensive homes ($446k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Plainville | Smithfield | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
22,233Highest |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6 7% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$446,400±$12kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,207Highest 67% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Smithfield 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #8 of 38 in RI | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Smithfield | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Smithfield High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.