Compare towns
Bourne vs Thomaston vs Windsor Locks vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($576k median).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
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 | Bourne | Thomaston | Windsor Locks | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 20,323Highest |
7,492Lowest |
12,579 |
9,281 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±1.8Highest 34% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5 32% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bourne 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 | $91,058±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
| Thomaston and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $575,600±$28kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$478,700±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,379±$300 about the U.S. average |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485 44% above U.S. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±5.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bourne and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #240 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Thomaston School District | Windsor Locks School District | Triton |
| High school in town | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Thomaston High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
10.7Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.