Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Ayer vs Brooklyn vs Suffield
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 Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
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 Locks | Ayer | Brooklyn | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579 |
8,645 |
8,517Lowest |
15,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield 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+ | 28.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Suffield 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Brooklyn School District | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— | 10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.