Compare towns
Winchester vs Woonsocket vs Windsor Locks vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Plainville has the highest household income ($84k).
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 | Woonsocket | Windsor Locks | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,284Lowest |
43,521Highest |
12,579 |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Winchester and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest 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 | $66,519±$12k 18% below U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$311,000±$15kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,780 53% above U.S. |
$3,960 27% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #97 of 149 in CT | #37 of 38 in RI | #109 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Windsor Locks School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Northwestern Regional High School | Woonsocket High School | Windsor Locks High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
15.2Highest |
8.9Lowest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.