Compare towns
West Haven vs Windsor vs Windsor Locks vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Haven has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Windsor has the highest household income ($105k).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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 | West Haven | Windsor | Windsor Locks | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,351 |
29,468 |
12,579Lowest |
59,635Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% CT: +0.9% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 35.8±1.5Lowest 13% below CT |
43.7±1.9Highest 6% above CT |
41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
37±1.2 10% below CT |
| Windsor and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±1.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.2%±2.1 CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6 CT: 20.2% |
| West Haven and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
20%±2Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor 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+ | 30.5% CT: 42.5% |
43.2%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.6%±1.6Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.3 CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,382±$5kLowest 22% below CT |
$104,725±$8kHighest 9% above CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$86,840±$4k 9% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $291,700±$9k 20% below CT |
$305,200±$11kHighest 17% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
| Windsor and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,442±$43 3% below CT |
$1,681±$62Highest 13% above CT |
$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,519±$66 about the CT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,941Highest 4% above CT |
$5,351 19% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$5,652 15% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±5.8 CT: 52.6% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest CT: 10% |
6.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
10.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
82.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
56.9% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 8 yrs older than CT |
1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT |
1961 6 yrs older than CT |
1962 5 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 14% below CT |
21 minLowest 19% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
23 min 15% below CT |
| Work from home | 9.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 16% |
16.1%±3.2 CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Windsor 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 | #120 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT |
| School district | New Haven School District · West Haven School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District |
| High school in town | West Haven High School | Windsor High School | Windsor Locks High School | Manchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.6Highest |
10.2 |
8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.