Compare towns
Spencer vs Windsor Locks vs Charlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Charlton has the highest household income ($118k).
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 | Spencer | Windsor Locks | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008Lowest |
12,579 |
13,435Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43±4 11% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
24.7%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Charlton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$117,587±$8kHighest 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22k 15% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$427,500±$19kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,381±$415 about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387 41% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,617Highest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Spencer 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 | #261 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Windsor Locks School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | Windsor Locks High School | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Highest |
8.9Lowest |
9.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.