Compare towns
Andover vs Webster 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
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
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 | Andover | Webster | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 616 |
12,228Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$333,100±$14k about the U.S. average |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Andover and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364 about the U.S. average |
$1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover 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 | — | #271 of 282 in MA | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.