Compare towns
Amherst Town vs Brookline vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
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 | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,182Lowest |
63,266 |
81,036Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.4±0.2Lowest 47% below MA |
35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA |
31.9±0.6 20% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 7.5%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10.1%±1 MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.6% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 59.6%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,968±$7kLowest 36% below MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$132,572±$6k 28% above MA |
| Brookline and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,900±$21kLowest 14% below MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$911,300±$26k 62% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$93Lowest 5% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,517±$64 43% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,787 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.1%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 23.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 44.2% MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 38% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Somerville 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 | #225 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham | Brookline | Somerville |
| High school in town | Amherst Regional High | Brookline High | Somerville High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.9Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.