Compare towns
Windsor vs Needham vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Hartford has the most renters (74.3% 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 | Windsor | Needham | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 29,468Lowest |
32,459 |
121,127Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
33.1±0.6Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Windsor and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$46,411±$3kLowest 43% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $305,200±$11k 8% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$228,600±$8kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,681±$62 19% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,269±$25Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,351 72% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,603Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
26.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #146 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | — | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Judicial Centers |
| High school in town | Windsor High School | — | Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 15.9Highest |
| 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.