Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Ware vs Plainville vs Thomaston
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%).
Ware has the most expensive homes ($290k median).
Plainville has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Ware | Plainville | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579 |
10,048 |
17,551Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Thomaston 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±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
| Ware and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Plainville 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,798 54% above U.S. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Ware | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Plainville High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
11.4Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.