Compare towns
Lancaster 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
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Gardner | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
21,148Highest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest 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 | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Gardner | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.