Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Townsend vs Thomaston
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 most people working from home (17.7%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
Thomaston has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
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 | Townsend | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579Highest |
9,100 |
7,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Thomaston 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Townsend 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 149 in CT | #136 of 282 in MA | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | North Middlesex | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | North Middlesex Regional | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.

