What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most kids (18.6% under 18).

Sharon has the most expensive homes ($591k 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	Sharon
People
Population	12,579Highest	2,723Lowest
Median age	41.4±2.6Lowest about the CT average	59.5±6Highest 45% above CT
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Highest CT: 20.2%	7.2%±3.2Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Lowest CT: 18.5%	37.9%±9.3Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5%	56.8%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1%	3.5%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1%
	Windsor Locks and Sharon 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 15% below CT	$100,518±$15kHighest 5% above CT
	Sharon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kLowest 29% below CT	$590,700±$156kHighest 61% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT	$1,750±$1kHighest 18% above CT
	Sharon 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 44% below CT	$4,484Highest 33% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Lowest CT: 52.6%	64%±16.2Highest CT: 52.6%
	Sharon and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Highest CT: 10%	10.8%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest CT: 66.5%	72.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 6 yrs older than CT	1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below CT	30 minHighest 13% above CT
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Lowest CT: 16%	18.7%±6.8Highest CT: 16%
	Sharon and Windsor Locks 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	—
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Sharon School District
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9	—
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.