Compare towns
Brookline vs Hanover vs Windham vs Westminster
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Westminster has the oldest population (median age 53.5).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
11,685Highest |
594 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Westminster 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% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
— | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Westminster 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% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as 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 |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Hanover High School | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.