Compare towns

Amherst Town vs Brookline vs Ogunquit

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst Town has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Ogunquit has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Amherst Town is a college town. 59.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureAmherst TownBrooklineOgunquit
People
Population
38,182
63,266Highest
1,379Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+7.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
21.4±0.2Lowest
45% below U.S.
35.2±1.2
10% below U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
Kids under 18
7.5%±1.1
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±1.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
10.1%±1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.8%±1.3
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
75.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
85.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
59.6%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
10.8%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,968±$7kLowest
17% below U.S.
$142,101±$8kHighest
76% above U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
Brookline and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$484,900±$21kLowest
46% above U.S.
$1,246,800±$67kHighest
275% above U.S.
$875,700±$79k
163% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,671±$93Lowest
18% above U.S.
$2,835±$82Highest
101% above U.S.
—
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,787
182% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,473Lowest
43% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
68.1%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±4
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
23.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
44.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
46.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
26 min
about the U.S. average
Work from home
21%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
30.1%±2.2
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Ogunquit 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 #58 of 282 in MA #22 of 282 in MA —
School district Amherst · Amherst-Pelham Brookline —
High school in town Amherst Regional High Brookline High —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.3Lowest
11.9Highest
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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.