Compare towns
Royalston vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalston has the most expensive homes ($346k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
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 | Royalston | Windsor Locks | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
12,579 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±10Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Royalston and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 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 | $102,109±$8kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Royalston 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 | — | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
10.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.