Compare towns
Brookline vs Windham vs Lyme
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 affordable homes ($544k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 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 | Windham | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,038Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme 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% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
62.7% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% 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±$38kLowest 35% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| Windham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below 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+ at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+ at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Windham 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% |
4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
31 min 15% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | Windham School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.