Compare towns
Townsend vs Lee 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
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k 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 | Townsend | Lee | Windham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
4,576Lowest |
16,038Highest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Highest 10% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Lee and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 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+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% 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 | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% 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 | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% 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 | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Oyster River Coop School District | Windham School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.