Compare towns
Brookline vs Hanson 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).
Hanson has the highest household income ($132k).
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 | Hanson | Windham | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
10,660Highest |
594 |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.8±3 10% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8Lowest 10% 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%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton and Hanson 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% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Hanson 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% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hanson 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 |
$132,200±$10kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
— | $1,410±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hanson and Brookline 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. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$6,695Highest 115% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Panton 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%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. |
1972Lowest 8 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. |
34 minHighest 27% 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% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #149 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Whitman-Hanson | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Whitman Hanson Regional | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.