Compare towns
Brookline vs Gardner vs Windham
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 kids (20% under 18).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
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 | Gardner | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
21,148Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above 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 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% 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 | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.