Compare towns
Winchester vs Colebrook vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the most renters (34.2% rent).
Colebrook has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Plainville has the most people working from home (10.7%).
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 | Winchester | Colebrook | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,284 |
1,494Lowest |
17,551Highest |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2 19% above CT |
52.1±5Highest 27% above CT |
44.3±1.5Lowest 8% above CT |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9Lowest CT: 20.2% |
17.9%±3.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Colebrook and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
26%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Winchester and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
36.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,519±$12kLowest 31% below CT |
$111,250±$17kHighest 16% above CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17kLowest 32% below CT |
$342,800±$19kHighest 7% below CT |
$254,000±$14k 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 21% below CT |
$1,333±$626Highest 10% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Colebrook and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780Lowest 28% below CT |
$6,211Highest 7% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
42.1%±55 CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Winchester and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest CT: 10% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
91.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 12 yrs older than CT |
1960 7 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the CT average |
34 minHighest 29% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7Lowest CT: 16% |
7%±3.8 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Highest CT: 16% |
| Plainville and Colebrook 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 | #97 of 149 in CT | — | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | Colebrook School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | None in town | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.

