Compare towns
Preston vs Putnam 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
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Preston | Putnam | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
9,292 |
12,579Highest |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
43.7±3 6% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
| Preston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,149±$44Lowest 23% below CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Preston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749Highest 29% below CT |
$3,860 42% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below CT |
25 minHighest 6% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Putnam School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Highest |
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.