Compare towns
Middlefield vs Thomaston vs Windsor Locks vs Meriden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Meriden has the most renters (39.9% rent).
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 | Middlefield | Thomaston | Windsor Locks | Meriden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
7,492 |
12,579 |
60,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | 0% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Meriden and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±0.9 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT |
| Thomaston and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,294±$72 13% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$5,129 23% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
53.4%±4.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
13.2%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT |
1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT |
1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT |
1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
22 minLowest 17% below CT |
23 min 13% below CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
8.6%±1.6 CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Middlefield 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 | #65 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #124 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Thomaston School District | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Thomaston High School | Windsor Locks High School | Francis T. Maloney High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
8.9Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.