Compare towns
Amherst Town vs Ogunquit vs Hadley 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 youngest population (median age 21.4).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Hadley | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 38,182 |
1,379Lowest |
5,306 |
63,266Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 21.4±0.2Lowest 45% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1 18% 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% |
16.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.1%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3%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% |
10.9%±5.7 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. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,900±$21kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,671±$93 18% above U.S. |
— | $1,402±$132Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,787 182% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,271 69% 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% |
38.6%±18.9 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% |
6.4% 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% |
73.4% 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. |
1971 9 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 |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest 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 | — | #116 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amherst · Amherst-Pelham | — | Hadley | Brookline |
| High school in town | Amherst Regional High | — | Hopkins Academy | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | 7.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.



