Compare towns
Springfield vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | Springfield | Plainfield | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
15,141 |
12,579Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield 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 | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695 18% above U.S. |
$4,209Highest 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Springfield | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.