What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walpole has the most expensive homes ($687k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Walpole	Windsor Locks
People
Population	26,388Highest	12,579Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S.	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.
	Windsor Locks and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S.	$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S.	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,523Highest 173% above U.S.	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#107 of 282 in MA	#109 of 149 in CT
School district	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole	Windsor Locks School District
High school in town	Walpole High	Windsor Locks High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	8.9Lowest
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.