Compare towns
Brookline vs Amherst vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most homeowners (95.1%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Brookline | Amherst | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
11,861 |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Amherst and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$153,196±$10kLowest 55% above NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$537,600±$30kLowest 34% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773Lowest 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
31 minLowest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.