Compare towns
Brookline vs Lenox vs Windham vs Putney
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.
| Measure | Brookline | Lenox | Windham | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
5,079Highest |
594 |
2,622 |
| 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. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 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% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% 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% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$106,080±$31kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% 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% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest 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% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest 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 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.