Compare towns
Brookline vs Windham vs Townsend vs Milford
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 people working from home (24.7%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Townsend has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Townsend | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
16,038 |
9,100 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
36.8±2.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 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% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$97,768±$14kLowest 21% 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. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$398,800±$20kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,522 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.8 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% |
2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Windham School District | North Middlesex | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | North Middlesex Regional | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.