Compare towns
Plainville vs Willimantic 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 oldest population (median age 44.3).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% rent).
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 | Willimantic | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551 |
18,096Highest |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
31.3±2.7Lowest 24% below CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Windsor Locks 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% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks 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% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$258,800±$14kHighest 29% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,126±$147 24% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,798Highest 28% below CT |
$4,678 30% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Willimantic 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% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
23 minHighest 12% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #89 of 149 in CT | — | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | — | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | — | 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.