Compare towns

Brookline vs Lenox vs Putney 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).
Lenox has the oldest population (median age 60.1).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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.

MeasureBrooklineLenoxPutneyWindham
People
Population
531Lowest
5,079Highest
2,622
594
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
45.1±2.7
16% above U.S.
60.1±4.3Highest
54% above U.S.
37.2±5.2Lowest
4% below U.S.
44.2±7.4
14% above U.S.
Kids under 18
20%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.3%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
15.4%±4.1
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%±4.2
U.S.: 17.2%
40.1%±7.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.1%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
23.2%±8.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
52.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
48.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
48.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±2.8
U.S.: 6.4%
20.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
$106,080±$31kHighest
31% above U.S.
$79,706±$18kLowest
about the U.S. average
$94,500±$12k
17% above U.S.
Lenox 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.
$466,700±$43kHighest
40% above U.S.
$300,000±$44k
10% below U.S.
$353,900±$20k
6% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
$1,091±$238
23% below U.S.
$508±$482Lowest
64% below U.S.
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,000Lowest
60% above U.S.
$5,299
70% above U.S.
$5,313
70% above U.S.
$5,951Highest
91% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.8%±94.7
U.S.: 51.1%
47.2%±18.8
U.S.: 51.1%
54.2%±19.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
41.2%±94Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Putney 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%
8.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
16%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
71.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
82.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 minHighest
8% above U.S.
23 min
14% below U.S.
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
27 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
20.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
18.3%±8.8
U.S.: 15.1%
16.9%±6.5Lowest
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 — #90 of 282 in MA #32 of 70 in VT —
School district — Lenox Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 —
High school in town — Lenox Memorial High None in town —
Students per teacherat that high school —
7.6
— —
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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.