Compare towns
Barnard vs Middlesex vs Windham vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most renters (14.6% rent).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Barnard | Middlesex | Windham | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
1,943 |
16,038Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 9% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$2,375±$1k 68% above U.S. |
| Windham and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Windham 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 | — | — | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham School District | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.