Compare towns
Norwich vs Upton vs Windsor Locks vs Meriden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k median).
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 | Norwich | Upton | Windsor Locks | Meriden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 39,973 |
8,189Lowest |
12,579 |
60,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
38.9±1.3 about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton 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+ | 23.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,024±$5kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$71,253±$4k 12% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$11k 27% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14k 22% below U.S. |
$241,200±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,294±$72 8% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,703 51% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,129 64% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
60.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±1.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks 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 | #133 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #124 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District |
| High school in town | Norwich Free Academy | Blackstone Valley | Windsor Locks High School | Francis T. Maloney High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
11.2 |
8.9Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| 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.