Compare towns
Brookline vs Amherst vs Windham vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
11,861 |
16,038Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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 112% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
| 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 64% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Windham School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | Windham High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.