Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Upton vs Gardner
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% 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.
| Measure | Windsor Locks | Upton | Gardner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579 |
8,189Lowest |
21,148Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Gardner 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Gardner 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,150 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
| 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.