What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).

Providence has the most renters (58.6% 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	Providence
People
Population	12,579Lowest	191,767Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+7.2% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.	32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Providence 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 U.S.: 17.2%	11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average	$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Windsor Locks and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.	$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average
	Providence and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.	$4,418Highest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Providence 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%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	41.4%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.	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windsor Locks and Providence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#36 of 38 in RI
School district	Windsor Locks School District	MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Classical High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	17.2Highest
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.