Compare towns
Sharon 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
Sharon has the most expensive homes ($591k median).
Windsor Locks has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Sharon | Windsor Locks | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,723Lowest |
12,579 |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 59.5±6Highest 45% above CT |
41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 7.2%±3.2Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.9%±9.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.5Lowest 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 | $100,518±$15kHighest 5% above CT |
$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Sharon and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $590,700±$156kHighest 61% above CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,750±$1kHighest 18% above CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Sharon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,484 33% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±16.2Highest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Sharon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.5% CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 18.7%±6.8Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Sharon 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 | — | #109 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Sharon 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.