Compare towns
Braintree vs Pelham vs Windham vs Randolph
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Randolph has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Braintree | Pelham | Windham | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
14,449 |
16,038Highest |
4,843 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,425±$88 about the U.S. average |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Pelham School District | Windham School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | Windham High School | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
12.8Highest |
9.4Lowest |
| 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.