Compare towns
Brookline vs Sturbridge 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 affordable homes ($291k median).
Sturbridge has the highest household income ($137k).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 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 | Sturbridge | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
9,960Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Sturbridge 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% |
49.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$425,800±$18kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— |
| Brookline and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Sturbridge 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | — |
| High school in town | — | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.