Compare towns

Brookline vs Lee vs Williston

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 highest household income ($171k).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 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.

MeasureBrooklineLeeWilliston
People
Population
5,736
4,576Lowest
10,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.2±1.5Lowest
6% above U.S.
42.9±1.9
10% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
Williston and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.9%±5.6
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Lee 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%
22.6%±6.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Lee and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
57.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
50.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$171,046±$4kHighest
112% above U.S.
$131,579±$54k
63% above U.S.
$106,967±$12kLowest
32% above U.S.
Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$544,400±$38kHighest
64% above U.S.
$480,600±$61k
44% above U.S.
$475,800±$40kLowest
43% above U.S.
Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
—
$1,832±$130Lowest
30% above U.S.
Brookline and Williston 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.
$9,661
210% above U.S.
$5,592Lowest
79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.3%±53.3
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Williston and Lee 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%
2.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
95.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1987Lowest
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
28 min
4% above U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
Work from home
24.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
27.6%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Lee 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 #3 of 120 in NH #11 of 70 in VT
School district Brookline School District Oyster River Coop School District Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town None in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 10 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.