Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Wakefield vs Windsor 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 affordable homes ($259k median).
Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).
Windsor has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Thomaston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Windsor | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,579 |
27,793 |
29,468Highest |
7,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9Highest 12% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7 7% above U.S. |
| Windsor and Wakefield 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% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Wakefield 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% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor and Wakefield 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
$103,218±$15k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11k 8% below U.S. |
$282,600±$23k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,681±$62 19% above U.S. |
$1,037±$147Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$5,351 72% above U.S. |
$5,915 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9 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% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Highest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #117 of 149 in CT | #106 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Thomaston School District |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Windsor High School | Thomaston High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
10.7Highest |
10.2 |
10.7Highest |
| 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.