What stands out worked out from the figures below

West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).

Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).

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	West Brookfield	Windham
People
Population	3,859Highest	594Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S.	44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.2%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S.	$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S.
	West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S.	$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S.
	West Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,236±$271 13% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,260Lowest 37% above U.S.	$5,951Highest 91% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Windham and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	42 minHighest 58% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	18.9%±15Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and West Brookfield 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	#162 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Quaboag Regional	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.