Compare towns
Brookline vs Hancock vs Windham vs Panton
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).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Panton has the most people working from home (26.7%).
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 | Hancock | Windham | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,791Highest |
594 |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hancock 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±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$95,208±$15kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Windham 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. |
$436,700±$22k 31% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$438,000±$40kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Panton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,208±$650Lowest 15% below U.S. |
— | $1,410±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Panton 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. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,695 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Panton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| 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.