Compare towns
Lynn vs Plainfield vs Windsor Locks vs Saugus
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lynn has the most renters (51.9% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Saugus has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Lynn | Plainfield | Windsor Locks | Saugus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 101,709Highest |
15,141 |
12,579Lowest |
28,773 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.5±1.2Lowest 6% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus 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+ | 24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,043±$3kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$101,539±$3kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $510,100±$23k 53% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,722±$60 22% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,384 73% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,049Highest 94% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Saugus 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 | #277 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #194 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lynn | Plainfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | Saugus |
| High school in town | Lynn English High | Plainfield High School | Windsor Locks High School | Saugus High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.0 |
10.3 |
8.9Lowest |
15.5Highest |
| 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.