Compare towns

Bow vs Fall River vs Windham vs Brookline

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
Fall River has the most renters (64.7% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).

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.

MeasureBowFall RiverWindhamBrookline
People
Population
8,335
94,082Highest
16,038
5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+5.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2Highest
7% above U.S.
39.3±1.2Lowest
about the U.S. average
41.1±2.9
6% above U.S.
41.2±1.5
6% above U.S.
Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
19.9%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.1%±0.9
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bow and Fall River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
16.4%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±0.6
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16k
114% above U.S.
$56,673±$3kLowest
30% below U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$171,046±$4k
112% above U.S.
Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$395,500±$11kLowest
19% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$544,400±$38k
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178
9% above U.S.
$1,155±$27Lowest
18% below U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$2,500±$1k
77% above U.S.
Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584
207% above U.S.
$3,953Lowest
27% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2
U.S.: 51.1%
52.5%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Fall River and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
19.6%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
35.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1993
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
31 min
17% above U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH #262 of 282 in MA #13 of 120 in NH #23 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical Windham School District Brookline School District
High school in town Bow High School B M C Durfee High Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
11.3Lowest
12.8Highest
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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.