Compare towns
Windsor vs Putnam 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%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k median).
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 | Putnam | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,468Highest |
9,292Lowest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 43.7±1.9Lowest 6% above CT |
43.7±3Lowest 6% above CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20%±2 CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest 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±$8kHighest 9% above CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,200±$11kHighest 17% below CT |
$269,200±$11k 27% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,351Highest 19% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±10.9Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% CT: 10% |
11.5%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
59.8%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 19% below CT |
25 minHighest 6% below CT |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.2Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Putnam School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Windsor High School | Putnam High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
9.5Lowest |
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.