What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).

Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k 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	Melrose
People
Population	12,579Lowest	29,650Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.5% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S.	43.6±1.1Highest 12% above U.S.
	Melrose and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Melrose and Windsor Locks 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%	20.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Melrose and Windsor Locks 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 U.S.: 35.7%	62%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Melrose 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 about the U.S. average	$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.	$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.	$7,578Highest 143% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.3%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	35 minHighest 31% above U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#62 of 282 in MA
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Melrose
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Melrose High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	12.8Highest
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.