Compare towns
Plainville vs Sprague 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
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sprague has the highest household income ($93k).
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 | Sprague | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
2,962Lowest |
12,579 |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
48.5±10.7Highest 18% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
| Sprague and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.1%±5.4 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
19.9%±3.9 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
19.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville 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 | $84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$92,850±$11kHighest 3% below CT |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
| Sprague and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$273,500±$17kHighest 25% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
| Sprague and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,247±$144 16% below CT |
$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Sprague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Highest 28% below CT |
$4,668 30% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
26.9%±12.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.1% CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
67.2%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
30 minHighest 12% above CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
5%±2.9Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | #141 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Sprague School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 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.