What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).

Brockton has the most expensive homes ($438k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windsor Locks	Brockton
People
Population	12,579Lowest	105,386Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+12.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.	36.7±0.8Lowest 6% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	25.3%±1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brockton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average	$80,115±$3kLowest about the U.S. average
	Windsor Locks and Brockton 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.	$437,500±$8kHighest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,641±$52Highest 16% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,820Highest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Brockton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	32 minHighest 19% above U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#279 of 282 in MA
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Brockton
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Brockton High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	17.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.