What stands out worked out from the figures below

Somerset has the most affordable homes ($419k median).

Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Somerset	Windham
People
Population	18,298Highest	16,038Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47±2.2Highest 21% above U.S.	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	25.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Somerset and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,677±$6kLowest 40% above U.S.	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$418,800±$18kLowest 26% above U.S.	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,271±$93Lowest 10% below U.S.	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,977Lowest 60% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±12.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Somerset and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.
Work from home	12%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#132 of 282 in MA	#13 of 120 in NH
School district	Somerset Berkley Regional School District · Somerset	Windham School District
High school in town	Somerset Berkley Regional High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.6Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.