What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cheshire has the oldest population (median age 53.7).

Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Cheshire	Windsor Locks
People
Population	3,216Lowest	12,579Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.7% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S.	41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Windsor Locks and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S.	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average
	Windsor Locks and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$268,200±$48kHighest 19% below U.S.	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
	Cheshire and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S.	$3,688Highest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Highest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#274 of 282 in MA	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Hoosac Valley Regional	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	Hoosac Valley High School	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5Highest	8.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.