Compare towns
Winchendon vs Windsor Locks vs Ware vs Templeton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ware has the most renters (27.7% rent).
Templeton has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Winchendon | Windsor Locks | Ware | Templeton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,440 |
12,579Highest |
10,048 |
8,252Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S. |
40.3±5.1 4% 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%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Templeton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest 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+ | 21.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,690±$14k 6% below U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$101,154±$15kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Templeton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,800±$19k about the U.S. average |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$358,500±$12kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,255±$163 11% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,207±$353 15% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,780 21% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$4,554Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Templeton 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 | #269 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA | #244 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchendon | Windsor Locks School District | Ware | Narragansett |
| High school in town | Murdock High School | Windsor Locks High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Narragansett Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.