What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Braintree Town has the most renters (22.4% rent).

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	Windham	Braintree Town
People
Population	16,038Lowest	38,899Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	41.3±1.2Highest 6% above U.S.
	Braintree Town and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Braintree Town and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	47.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.5%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Braintree Town and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S.	$122,214±$10kLowest 51% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$656,800±$14kLowest 97% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$2,024±$195Lowest 43% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,436Lowest 74% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.9%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Braintree Town and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Windham and Braintree Town 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	#13 of 120 in NH	#84 of 282 in MA
School district	Windham School District	Braintree
High school in town	Windham High School	Braintree High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	15.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.