Compare towns
Ashland vs Brookline vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most renters (35.9% rent).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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.
| Measure | Ashland | Brookline | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Highest |
531Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ashland and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 59% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Ashland School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.