Compare towns
Windham vs Salisbury 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($479k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Salisbury | Worcester | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
9,281Highest |
831 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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% |
13.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Windham 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% |
25.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Salisbury 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. |
$93,361±$6k 16% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,691±$411 20% above U.S. |
$1,023±$136Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Salisbury 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. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salisbury and Brookline 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%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. |
1980 same as 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 |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #240 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Triton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None 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.