Compare towns
Holyoke vs Windsor Locks vs South Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most renters (58.7% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
South Hadley has the most expensive homes ($358k 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 | Holyoke | Windsor Locks | South Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
12,579Lowest |
17,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
42.6±2.6Highest 10% above U.S. |
| South Hadley and Windsor Locks 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±1.8Lowest 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%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Hadley and Holyoke 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$93,910±$15kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| South Hadley and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$357,900±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,325±$54 6% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065 30% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,500Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±10.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 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 min 17% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and South Hadley 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #216 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Windsor Locks School District | South Hadley |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Windsor Locks High School | South Hadley High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
8.9 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.