Compare towns
Griswold vs Gardner vs Windsor Locks vs Winchester
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 most renters (41.1% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($250k 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.
| Measure | Griswold | Gardner | Windsor Locks | Winchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,530 |
21,148Highest |
12,579 |
10,284Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.1±3.9 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
49.1±6.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Winchester and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,719±$11k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$66,519±$12kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$249,500±$17kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,174±$116 17% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,628 48% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,780Highest 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #97 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Griswold School District | Gardner | Windsor Locks School District | Explorations District · Regional School District 07 |
| High school in town | Griswold High School | Gardner High | Windsor Locks High School | Northwestern Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
9.7 |
| 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.