Compare towns
Windham vs Gardner vs Brookline vs Worcester
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 most expensive homes ($354k median).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Gardner | Brookline | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
21,148Highest |
531Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Brookline 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Gardner 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Gardner 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. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$73,833±$18k 9% below U.S. |
| 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±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gardner and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.