Compare towns
Amherst Town vs Brookline vs Ogunquit vs Watertown
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 youngest population (median age 21.4).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
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.
| Measure | Amherst Town | Brookline | Ogunquit | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,182 |
63,266Highest |
1,379Lowest |
35,543 |
| 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. |
39.4±1.3 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 7.5%±1.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±1.6 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% |
18.3%±1.8 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% |
66.5% 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% |
6%±1.1 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. |
$126,265±$6k 56% above U.S. |
| 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. |
$784,600±$31k 136% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$93Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
— | $2,502±$107 77% 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. |
$6,799 118% 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% |
42.7%±5.7 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% |
7.5% 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% |
47.7% 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. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| 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% |
29.1%±2.8 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 | — | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham | Brookline | — | Watertown |
| High school in town | Amherst Regional High | Brookline High | — | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.