Compare towns
Townsend vs Plainville 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
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Townsend | Plainville | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Lowest |
17,551Highest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville 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+ | 35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Townsend and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | North Middlesex | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Plainville High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.4 |
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.