Compare towns
Windham vs Chatham vs Worcester 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
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Chatham has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Brookline has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
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 | Chatham | Worcester | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
430Lowest |
831Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.3±8.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Chatham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±7.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Chatham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±10Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chatham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Chatham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$66,042±$19kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$362,900±$42kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Chatham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,690Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| 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.