Compare towns
Windham vs Worcester vs Everett 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).
Worcester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
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 | Worcester | Everett | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
207,055Highest |
50,045 |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% 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% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Everett 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% |
13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest 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% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Everett 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. |
$374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett and Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | — |
| High school in town | — | South High Community | Everett High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.