Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Meriden vs Plainfield
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 people working from home (17.7%).
Meriden has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($272k 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 Locks | Meriden | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
60,545Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
38.9±1.3 5% below CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Meriden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.2% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kHighest 15% below CT |
$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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 |
$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
$272,100±$16kHighest 26% below CT |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT |
$1,294±$72 13% below CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Meriden 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 |
$5,129Highest 23% below CT |
$4,209 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±4.9 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% CT: 10% |
13.2%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
23 min 13% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
10%±4 CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #124 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Francis T. Maloney High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
16.2Highest |
10.3 |
| 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.