Compare towns
Killingly vs Beacon Falls vs Gardner vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Beacon Falls has the highest household income ($102k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 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 | Killingly | Beacon Falls | Gardner | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,867 |
6,147Lowest |
21,148Highest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Killingly and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$101,516±$42kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
| Beacon Falls and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$350,300±$34kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,921±$286Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922 26% above U.S. |
$6,534Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Beacon Falls 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #77 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 16 | Gardner | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Killingly High School | Woodland Regional High School | Gardner High | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.