Compare towns

Amherst Town vs Ogunquit 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

Amherst Town has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Ogunquit has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 TownOgunquitBrookline
People
Population
38,182
1,379Lowest
63,266Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+76.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
21.4±0.2Lowest
45% below U.S.
62.8±4.8Highest
61% above U.S.
35.2±1.2
10% below U.S.
Kids under 18
7.5%±1.1
U.S.: 22%
5.7%±3.2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.7%±1.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Age 65+
10.1%±1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
43.6%±10.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.8%±1.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
75.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
63.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
85.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
59.6%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
10.8%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,968±$7kLowest
17% below U.S.
$114,259±$56k
42% above U.S.
$142,101±$8kHighest
76% 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.
$875,700±$79k
163% above U.S.
$1,246,800±$67kHighest
275% 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.
$4,473Lowest
43% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
68.1%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±61.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±4
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
23.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
44.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
46.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
5 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
32% below U.S.
26 min
about the U.S. average
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
Work from home
21%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
43.3%±12.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
30.1%±2.2
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
On TownTapestry
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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.