Compare towns
Townsend vs Williston 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 affordable homes ($433k median).
Williston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
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 | Williston | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
10,144Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Williston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
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| 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.