Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Suffield
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 affordable homes ($259k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Suffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579 |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
15,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Suffield 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4% 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% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Suffield 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Suffield School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Suffield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | 10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.