What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex has the most expensive homes ($552k median).

Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).

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	Essex	Windsor Locks
People
Population	6,794Lowest	12,579Highest
Median age	52.4±3.6Highest 27% above CT	41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average
Kids under 18	16.2%±3.3Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2%
	Windsor Locks and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.4%±3.8Highest CT: 18.5%	18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.7%±3.7Highest CT: 7.1%	5.9%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Essex 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	$104,395±$7kHighest 9% above CT	$81,205±$13kLowest 15% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,000±$53kHighest 50% above CT	$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,623±$326Highest 9% above CT	$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT
	Essex and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,678Highest 15% below CT	$3,688Lowest 44% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±9.7Lowest CT: 52.6%	58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6%
	Windsor Locks and Essex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest CT: 10%	10.9%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	77.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 4 yrs newer than CT	1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 3% above CT	22 minLowest 17% below CT
Work from home	19.4%±4.6Highest CT: 16%	17.7%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%
	Essex 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	#33 of 149 in CT	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Essex School District	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	None in town	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.