Compare towns
Brookline vs Pepperell 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Pepperell has the most expensive homes ($482k median).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Pepperell | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
11,663Highest |
594 |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Pepperell 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% |
18.2%±2.3Lowest 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% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Westminster 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 |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% 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. |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
— | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% 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% |
45.1%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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% 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% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster 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 | — | #153 of 282 in MA | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.