Compare towns
Webster vs Windsor Locks vs Gardner vs West Springfield 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 ($362k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Gardner has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
West Springfield Town has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Windsor Locks | Gardner | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748 |
12,579Lowest |
21,148 |
28,772Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
40.1±2.6 3% 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 | 19.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$69,371±$7k 14% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$321,500±$16k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,144±$68 19% 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 | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$4,380Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.1%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Springfield Town and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Highest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±2.4 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Windsor Locks School District | Gardner | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Windsor Locks High School | Gardner High | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
8.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
13.1 |
| 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.