Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Mansfield 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 Locks has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 Locks | Mansfield | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
25,358Highest |
17,551 |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
| Plainville and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3 CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville 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+ | 28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$84,343±$7kHighest 12% below CT |
| 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 | $258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
| Mansfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
6.5%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
67.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 17% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
21 min 20% below CT |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | E. O. Smith High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.8Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.