Compare towns
Windsor vs Orange vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($492k median).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Windsor | Orange | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,468Highest |
14,315Lowest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 43.7±1.9Lowest 6% above CT |
45.6±2.4Highest 11% above CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
| Orange and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
22.9%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Orange and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Orange and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.2% CT: 42.5% |
59.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Plainville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,725±$8k 9% above CT |
$142,325±$10kHighest 49% above CT |
$84,343±$7kLowest 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,200±$11k 17% below CT |
$491,500±$17kHighest 34% above CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,681±$62 13% above CT |
$2,172±$161Highest 46% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,351 19% below CT |
$8,988Highest 35% above CT |
$4,798Lowest 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
64%±12.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Orange and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% CT: 66.5% |
89.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below CT |
28 minHighest 4% above CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
15.6%±2.9 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Windsor and Orange 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 | #117 of 149 in CT | #38 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Windsor High School | — | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.