Compare towns
Putnam vs Windsor Locks vs Winchester vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Putnam | Windsor Locks | Winchester | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,292Lowest |
12,579 |
10,284 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 43.7±3 6% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
49.1±6.2Highest 19% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Winchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
27.8% CT: 42.5% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.2%±1.7 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 | $70,561±$7k 26% below CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$84,343±$7kHighest 12% 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 | $269,200±$11kHighest 27% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
| Putnam and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
$1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,860 42% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,780 28% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.9%±15.8 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
65.8% CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
26 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #128 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Putnam School District | Windsor Locks School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Putnam High School | Windsor Locks High School | Northwestern Regional High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
8.9Lowest |
9.7 |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.