Compare towns
Windham vs Spencer 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).
Spencer has the most renters (37% 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 | Spencer | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594 |
12,008Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Spencer 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% |
16.4%±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% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Spencer and Brookline 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. |
$80,533±$11kLowest 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. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Spencer and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,387Lowest 41% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Spencer 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% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 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 |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Lowest 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 | — | #261 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Spencer-E Brookfield | — |
| High school in town | — | David Prouty High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.