Compare towns
Brookline vs Windham vs Bow vs Milford
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 people working from home (24.7%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Bow has the oldest population (median age 41.5).
Milford has the most renters (35.1% rent).
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 | Windham | Bow | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
16,038 |
8,335 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
41.5±2Highest 4% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Bow 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Lowest 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% |
15.5%±2.6 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow 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% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$172,857±$16k 75% above NH |
$97,768±$14kLowest about the NH average |
| Windham and Bow 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 |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Windham and Milford 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% |
2% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
64.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1982Lowest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Windham School District | Bow School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | Bow High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
12.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.