Compare towns
Rowley vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks vs Newbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Newbury has the highest household income ($175k).
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 | Rowley | Plainfield | Windsor Locks | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
15,141Highest |
12,579 |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 29% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
55.1±4.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 64% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$174,868±$59kHighest 117% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 101% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$840,600±$40kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 13% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,806±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 166% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,661 114% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.5%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newbury 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.