Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Killingly vs Gardner vs Thomaston
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 people working from home (17.7%).
Killingly has the youngest population (median age 39.5).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Killingly | Gardner | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579 |
17,867 |
21,148Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
39.5±3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Gardner and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Killingly 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% |
19.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Killingly and Gardner 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% |
22.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13k about the U.S. average |
$84,350±$8k 4% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Thomaston and Killingly 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. |
$288,600±$15k 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
| Gardner and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,044±$141 26% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,922 26% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.8%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Highest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±2.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner 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 | #136 of 149 in CT | #273 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Gardner | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Killingly High School | Gardner High | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
13.5Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.