What stands out worked out from the figures below

North Adams has the most renters (49% rent).

Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).

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	North Adams	Windsor Locks
People
Population	12,606Highest	12,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.4% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.1±3.5Highest 13% above U.S.	41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S.
	North Adams and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Windsor Locks and North Adams are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	North Adams 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+	28.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.8%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$47,500±$7kLowest 41% below U.S.	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,900±$14kLowest 41% below U.S.	$258,800±$14kHighest 22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$793±$113Lowest 44% below U.S.	$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,078Lowest about the U.S. average	$3,688Highest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.7%±11Highest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	North Adams and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 34% below U.S.	22 minHighest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	9.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#268 of 282 in MA	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	Charles McCann Vocational Technical	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	8.9Lowest
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.