Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Sterling vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Sterling | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Highest |
3,629Lowest |
7,492 |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 about the CT average |
39.4±5.9Lowest 4% below CT |
41.5±7.7Highest about the CT average |
| Thomaston and Windsor Locks 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% |
22.8%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.5%±5.2 CT: 20.2% |
| Sterling and Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.6%±3.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Thomaston and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.6% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
34%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Thomaston 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 |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
$103,218±$15kHighest 8% above CT |
| Thomaston and Sterling 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 |
$283,400±$17kHighest 23% below CT |
$282,600±$23k 23% below CT |
| Sterling and Thomaston 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 |
— | $1,037±$147Lowest 30% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
$5,915Highest 11% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1Lowest CT: 52.6% |
57.9%±22 CT: 52.6% |
| Windsor Locks and Thomaston 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% |
8.3% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
77.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Windsor Locks and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Sterling School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | None in town | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.