Compare towns
Brookline vs Ware vs Windham vs Hyde Park
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 homeowners (84.9%).
Ware has the most renters (42.6% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Ware | Windham | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531 |
6,369Highest |
594 |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
39.8±6Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1 10% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Hyde Park 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% |
17.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest 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% |
15.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ware 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±$16k about the U.S. average |
$45,158±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
| Windham and Hyde Park 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. |
$253,400±$31k 24% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,039±$104Lowest 26% below U.S. |
— | $1,306±$285 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hyde Park 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. |
$3,408Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,893 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware 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% |
14.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| 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.