Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Brookfield vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor Locks has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($480k 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.
| Measure | Windsor Locks | Brookfield | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579 |
17,706Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average |
44.3±1.8Highest 8% above CT |
41.5±7.7 about the CT average |
| Brookfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2% |
22.7%±3Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Brookfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.8%±2.8Highest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 18.5% |
| Brookfield and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
58.3%Highest CT: 42.5% |
34% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.3%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Thomaston 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 15% below CT |
$148,360±$11kHighest 55% above CT |
$103,218±$15k 8% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT |
$479,700±$24kHighest 31% above CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 6% below CT |
$1,892±$183Highest 27% above CT |
$1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$7,594Highest 14% above CT |
$5,915 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
35.9%±13.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest CT: 10% |
4.1% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
28 minHighest 6% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
16.3%±3 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Brookfield 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 | #67 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Brookfield School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Brookfield High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.7Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.