Compare towns
Watertown vs Windsor Locks vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Watertown has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Watertown | Windsor Locks | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,253Highest |
12,579Lowest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 46.3±2.9Highest 13% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Watertown and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Watertown 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+ | 38.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| 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 | $101,691±$7kHighest 6% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,500±$16kHighest 9% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$227 14% below CT |
$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,014Highest 9% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±13.3 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 2 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 10% below CT |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #126 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Watertown School District | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Watertown High School | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
| 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.