Compare towns
Plainville vs Windsor Locks vs Chaplin
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 most renters (32.3% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Chaplin has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Windsor Locks | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,551Highest |
12,579 |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Plainville and Chaplin 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% |
18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin 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%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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 |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average |
| Chaplin 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 |
$258,800±$14kHighest 29% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Chaplin 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 |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
| Chaplin and Windsor Locks 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 |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest 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% CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
8.9 |
7.5Lowest |
| 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.