Compare towns
Benson vs Braintree vs Windham vs Stockbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benson has the most renters (19.1% rent).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Benson | Braintree | Windham | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 784Lowest |
1,026 |
16,038Highest |
791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
55.3±5.3 42% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$77,109±$12kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$283,500±$26k 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,140±$126 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,125 32% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,488 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.3%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.6%±12.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stockbridge 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Windham School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.