Compare towns
Sterling vs Windsor Locks vs West Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sterling has the highest household income ($129k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Sterling | Windsor Locks | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,183 |
12,579Highest |
7,782Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$104,551±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Sterling and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$440,000±$24k 32% above U.S. |
| Sterling and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Sterling and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Windsor Locks School District | West Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.