What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Brookline
People
Population	16,970Highest	5,736Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S.	41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kLowest 45% above U.S.	$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 20% above U.S.	$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S.	$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S.
	Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Lowest 70% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#106 of 282 in MA	#23 of 120 in NH
School district	Auburn	Brookline School District
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.