What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).

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	Lawrence	Windsor Locks
People
Population	88,736Highest	12,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.	$3,688Highest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lawrence and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	28.1%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	23 minHighest 13% below U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#278 of 282 in MA	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Lawrence	—
High school in town	Lawrence High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6	—
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.