Compare towns
Brookfield vs Windham vs Braintree vs Plainfield
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%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 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 | Brookfield | Windham | Braintree | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
16,038Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Brookfield 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Windham School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school 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.