Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Providence vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Providence has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Plainville has the oldest population (median age 44.3).
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 | Providence | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
191,767Highest |
17,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Providence 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7kHighest 4% above U.S. |
| 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 22% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Providence 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 18% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Providence 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #89 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Classical High School | Plainville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
17.2Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.