What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).

Meriden has the most renters (39.9% 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	Meriden
People
Population	12,579Lowest	60,545Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	0% CT: +0.9%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average	38.9±1.3Lowest 5% below CT
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest CT: 20.2%	21.9%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2%
	Meriden and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5%	16.2%±1.2Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Highest CT: 42.5%	22.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	5.6%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Windsor Locks and Meriden 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 15% below CT	$71,253±$4kLowest 26% below CT
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kHighest 29% below CT	$241,200±$7kLowest 34% below CT
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Highest 6% below CT	$1,294±$72Lowest 13% below CT
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Lowest 44% below CT	$5,129Highest 23% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6%	53.4%±4.9Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Windsor Locks and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Lowest CT: 10%	13.2%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	60.1%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT	1960Lowest 7 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below CT	23 minHighest 13% below CT
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16%	8.6%±1.6Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#124 of 149 in CT
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Francis T. Maloney High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	16.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.