What stands out worked out from the figures below

Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).

Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).

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	Holyoke	Windsor Locks
People
Population	37,813Highest	12,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.
	Windsor Locks and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Holyoke and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Holyoke and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S.	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$274,100±$8kHighest 18% below U.S.	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
	Holyoke and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S.	$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,065Highest 30% above U.S.	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	27%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 27% below U.S.	22 minHighest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	11.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#281 of 282 in MA	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Holyoke · Springfield	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	Holyoke High	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	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.