Compare towns
Gardner vs Windsor vs Windsor Locks vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the oldest housing (typical home built 1954).
Windsor has the highest household income ($105k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 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 | Gardner | Windsor | Windsor Locks | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,148 |
29,468Highest |
12,579Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$104,725±$8kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$305,200±$11k 8% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$321,500±$16kHighest 3% below U.S. |
| West Springfield Town and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,681±$62Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,144±$68 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150 33% above U.S. |
$5,351Highest 72% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,380 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Windsor 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #117 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Windsor Locks School District | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Windsor High School | Windsor Locks High School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.2 |
8.9Lowest |
13.1 |
| 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.