Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Melrose vs Windsor
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 affordable homes ($259k median).
Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k median).
Windsor has the most homeowners (82.4%).
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 | Melrose | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
29,650Highest |
29,468 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.6±1.1 12% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Melrose 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% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Melrose and Windsor 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% |
20%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Melrose and Windsor 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% |
43.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$133,953±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$822,900±$20kHighest 147% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,970±$149Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,681±$62 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,578Highest 143% above U.S. |
$5,351 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest 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% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 149 in CT | #62 of 282 in MA | #117 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Melrose | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Melrose High | Windsor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
12.8Highest |
10.2 |
| 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.