What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).

Worcester has the most expensive homes ($374k 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	Worcester
People
Population	12,579Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+14.1% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S.	33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Worcester and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	35.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average	$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S.
	Windsor Locks and Worcester 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.	$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S.
	Worcester 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.	$4,733Highest 52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	54.2%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windsor Locks and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.	24 minHighest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#109 of 149 in CT	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Windsor Locks School District	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Windsor Locks High School	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	14.6Highest
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.