Compare towns
Webster vs Ware vs Windsor Locks vs Southbridge Town
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 expensive homes ($333k median).
Ware has the oldest population (median age 43.1).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
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 | Ware | Windsor Locks | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,228 |
10,048Lowest |
12,579 |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.9±2.4 5% above U.S. |
| Ware 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%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southbridge Town and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and Windsor Locks 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% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.4 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. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$66,287±$8k 18% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Ware 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 |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$294,800±$18k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$85 15% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,256±$79 11% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Southbridge Town 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. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$3,688 18% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.8%±8.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Windsor Locks 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% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 45.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Windsor Locks School District | Southbridge |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Windsor Locks High School | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
8.9Lowest |
9.8 |
| 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.