Compare towns
Windsor vs Plainville vs Cheshire
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 has the most people working from home (21.2%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).
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 | Plainville | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
17,551Highest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$268,200±$48k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainville and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #89 of 149 in CT | #274 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | Plainville High School | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| 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.