Compare towns
Brookline vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
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.
| Measure | Brookline | Townsend | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
9,100 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Williston and Brookline 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%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest 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. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Williston 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. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 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. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Williston 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Williston 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Brookline School District | North Middlesex | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.