Compare towns
Webster vs Killingly vs Windsor Locks vs Gardner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Killingly has the highest household income ($84k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
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.
| Measure | Webster | Killingly | Windsor Locks | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228Lowest |
17,867 |
12,579 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
39.5±3 about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster 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 | $63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$84,350±$8kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
| Killingly and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,100±$14kHighest about the U.S. average |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Webster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,044±$141Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$4,150Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #136 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Windsor Locks School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | — | Killingly High School | Windsor Locks High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
8.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.