Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Gardner 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
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 | Gardner | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
21,148Highest |
15,702 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gardner and Suffield 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$407,500±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,424±$141Highest about the U.S. average |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Windsor Locks 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Gardner | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Gardner High | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
13.5Highest |
10.9 |
| 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.