Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Plainville vs Chaplin
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).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Chaplin has the highest household income ($98k).
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 | Plainville | Chaplin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579 |
17,551Highest |
2,070Lowest |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
44.3±1.5Highest 8% above CT |
43.7±4.8 6% above CT |
| Plainville and Chaplin 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% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest CT: 20.2% |
15.7%±4.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.1%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
20.9%±4.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Chaplin and Plainville 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% |
30%Highest CT: 42.5% |
25.4%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
6.2%±1.6 CT: 7.1% |
10.1%±6.2Highest CT: 7.1% |
| Chaplin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT |
$84,343±$7k 12% below CT |
$97,846±$14kHighest about the CT average |
| Chaplin and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kHighest 29% below CT |
$254,000±$14kLowest 31% below CT |
$255,200±$24k 30% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,126±$147Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,473±$275Highest about the CT average |
| Chaplin 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 |
$4,798Highest 28% below CT |
$4,524 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
40.3%±12.4 CT: 52.6% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville 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% |
6.5% CT: 10% |
5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% CT: 66.5% |
67.7%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.9%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older 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 |
21 minLowest 20% below CT |
32 minHighest 22% above CT |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
10.7%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
18.1%±10Highest CT: 16% |
| Chaplin 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Plainville High School | Parish Hill High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
11.4Highest |
7.5Lowest |
| 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.