Compare towns
Boston vs Brookline vs Canton vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Canton has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Boston | Brookline | Canton | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
63,266 |
24,748 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
42.6±2.3 10% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
67.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$142,101±$8k 76% above U.S. |
$143,381±$9kHighest 78% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Canton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
$710,600±$27kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
$2,315±$178 64% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,560 110% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.1%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Brookline | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Brookline High | Canton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.9Lowest |
13.1 |
— |
| 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.