What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).

Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).

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	Lawrence
People
Population	12,579Lowest	88,736Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+16.7% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.	32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Lawrence 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	$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.	$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Highest 18% above U.S.	$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lawrence and Windsor Locks 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%	17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	23 minHighest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#278 of 282 in MA
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Lawrence
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Lawrence High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	13.6Highest
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.