Compare towns
Brookline vs Mapleton vs Windham vs Worcester
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Mapleton | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,884Highest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Brookline 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline 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% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Windham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.