Compare towns
Preston vs Windsor Locks vs Plainville
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 most expensive homes ($362k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Windsor Locks | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,821Lowest |
12,579 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Preston and Plainville 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%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Preston and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest 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 | $116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Preston and Plainville 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 |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest 4% below CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% 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 | $4,749 29% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest 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% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #93 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Preston School District | Windsor Locks School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.