Compare towns
Suffield vs Shirley vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Shirley has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Suffield | Shirley | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,702Highest |
6,976Lowest |
12,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.3±3.4 14% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Shirley and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$122,365±$16kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Shirley and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$427,600±$36kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Shirley and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,481±$421Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Shirley and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$5,156 65% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±7.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shirley and Suffield 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #239 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Suffield School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Suffield High School | None in town | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 8.9Lowest |
| 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.