Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lyndeborough vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Lyndeborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($261k median).
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 | Brookfield | Lyndeborough | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,616Highest |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
50±3.2 29% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$116,964±$17kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Lyndeborough and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$390,900±$26kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,482±$457 5% above U.S. |
$1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$7,133Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±90 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 48% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 7 photos → | 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.