Compare towns
Windham vs Northfield vs Brookfield vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Northfield has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Bow 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.
| Measure | Windham | Northfield | Brookfield | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
5,920 |
1,486Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Bow 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% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Northfield 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% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield 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% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Bow 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Northfield Middle/High School | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.0Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.