Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Needham vs Montville
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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.
| Measure | Windsor Locks | Needham | Montville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Lowest |
32,459Highest |
17,950 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Highest 11% above U.S. |
42.8±4.1 10% above U.S. |
| Needham and Montville 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor Locks and Needham 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% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Montville and Windsor Locks 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 |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$96,454±$11k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$285,600±$13k 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,187±$99Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,565 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.4%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 149 in CT | #19 of 282 in MA | #95 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Needham | Montville School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Needham High | Montville High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.9Highest |
9.2 |
| 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.