What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).

Walpole has the most expensive homes ($687k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Windsor Locks	Walpole
People
Population	12,579Lowest	26,388Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+9.6% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.	40.9±1.2Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Windsor Locks and Walpole 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%	25.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole 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%	67.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole 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	$171,500±$16kHighest 112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S.	$687,100±$20kHighest 107% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$2,205±$222Highest 56% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S.	$8,523Highest 173% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	37.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Walpole 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%	3.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	83.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#107 of 282 in MA
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	Walpole High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	11.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.