What stands out worked out from the figures below

Royalston has the most expensive homes ($346k median).

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	Royalston	Windsor Locks
People
Population	1,460Lowest	12,579Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S.	41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.2%±10Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Royalston 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+	28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Royalston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,109±$8kHighest 26% above U.S.	$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$346,300±$18kHighest 4% above U.S.	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S.	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average
	Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average	$3,688Highest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Royalston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 45% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	10.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windsor Locks and Royalston 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	—	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Athol-Royalston	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	None in town	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.9
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.