Compare towns
Westminster 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
Westminster has the most expensive homes ($422k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% 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 | Westminster | Windsor Locks | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,374Lowest |
12,579 |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Westminster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,973Highest 59% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 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 | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.5%±4.2Lowest 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 | #112 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashburnham-Westminster | Windsor Locks School District | Gardner |
| High school in town | Oakmont Regional High School | Windsor Locks High School | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
8.9Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.