Compare towns

Eliot vs Windham vs Brookline

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).

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.

MeasureEliotWindhamBrookline
People
Population
7,146
16,038Highest
5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
41.1±2.9Lowest
6% above U.S.
41.2±1.5
6% above U.S.
Kids under 18
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
27.4%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4
U.S.: 22%
Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
62.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$101,522±$10kLowest
26% above U.S.
$189,583±$19kHighest
135% above U.S.
$171,046±$4k
112% above U.S.
Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$498,900±$62kLowest
50% above U.S.
$723,300±$50kHighest
117% above U.S.
$544,400±$38k
64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,948±$471Lowest
38% above U.S.
$3,218±$350Highest
128% above U.S.
$2,500±$1k
77% above U.S.
Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.1%±20.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.2%±50.9
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Eliot and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
79.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
93.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1996Highest
16 yrs newer than U.S.
1993
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
21.9%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8Highest
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 #19 of 133 in ME #13 of 120 in NH #23 of 120 in NH
School district RSU 35/MSAD 35 Windham School District Brookline School District
High school in town None in town Windham High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.8
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.