Compare towns
Windham vs Lowell 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).
Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k 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.
| Measure | Windham | Lowell | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594 |
118,368Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Lowell and Brookline 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% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average |
$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. |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,625±$40Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell 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% |
16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | #255 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Lowell | — |
| High school in town | — | Lowell High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.