Compare towns
Brookline vs Hadley 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 affordable homes ($291k median).
Hadley has the most expensive homes ($511k median).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Hadley | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
5,306Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Brookline 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% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$119,259±$12kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$511,000±$43kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Brookline and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,271 69% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest 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 | — | #116 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Hadley | — |
| High school in town | — | Hopkins Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.3 |
— |
| 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.