Compare towns
Brookline vs Salisbury 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).
Salisbury has the most renters (34.5% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Salisbury | Windham | Panton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
5,656Highest |
594 |
690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
51±6.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.7±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
12.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
24.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Panton 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% |
29.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salisbury 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 |
$92,469±$7k 15% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$86,667±$10k 7% above U.S. |
| Windham and Salisbury 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. |
$465,900±$31kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$438,000±$40k 32% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,770±$444Highest 25% above U.S. |
— | $1,410±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Salisbury and Brookline 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. |
$4,561Lowest 46% 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% |
59.8%±11.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Panton and Salisbury 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% 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% |
19.7%±6.9Lowest 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 | — | #240 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| 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.