What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brandon	Windham
People
Population	4,120Lowest	19,188Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S.	41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22%	19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windham and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below U.S.	$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S.	$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,064±$225Lowest 25% below U.S.	$1,232±$332Highest 13% below U.S.
	Windham and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,241Highest 36% above U.S.	$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±15.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brandon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 10% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Brandon 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	#69 of 70 in VT	#95 of 133 in ME
School district	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53	RSU 14
High school in town	Otter Valley Union High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.