What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k 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.

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

Measure	Windham	Middleborough
People
Population	16,038Lowest	24,505Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S.	43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S.
	Middleborough 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%	18.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Windham and Middleborough 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.	$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S.	$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S.	$1,706±$72Lowest 21% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$6,023Lowest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.2%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middleborough 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%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above U.S.	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#13 of 120 in NH	#170 of 282 in MA
School district	Windham School District	Middleborough
High school in town	Windham High School	Middleborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.3Lowest
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.