Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Plainfield vs Plainville vs Suffield
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Suffield has the most expensive homes ($408k 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 | Plainfield | Plainville | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
15,141 |
17,551Highest |
15,702 |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
44.3±1.5 8% above CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
| Suffield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Windsor Locks 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.4%±2.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Plainville and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.6% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
30% CT: 42.5% |
40.4%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| 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 | $81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$272,100±$16k 26% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,424±$141Highest 4% below CT |
| Suffield 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 |
$4,209 37% below CT |
$4,798 28% below CT |
$6,456Highest about the CT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
26 min 3% below CT |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±2 CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1Highest CT: 16% |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #89 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Plainfield School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainfield High School | Plainville High School | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
10.3 |
11.4Highest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.