Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Windsor Locks vs Bourne vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has the most renters (24.3% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Bourne has the most expensive homes ($736k median).
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Windsor Locks | Bourne | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909 |
12,579Highest |
1,806Lowest |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 40% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
61.2±3.5Highest 57% above U.S. |
49±3.2 26% above U.S. |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.1%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.6%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Buzzards Bay 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 | $94,388±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$97,847±$32kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$81,940±$10k about the U.S. average |
| Bourne and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 37% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$735,500±$156kHighest 121% above U.S. |
$332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,283±$553Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$3,835 23% above U.S. |
$4,516Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±20.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±20.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bourne 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Windsor Locks School District | — | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Windsor Locks High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— | — |
| 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.