Compare towns
Boston vs Brookline vs Ogunquit vs Cambridge
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 affordable homes ($732k median).
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Cambridge has the youngest population (median age 30.4).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% 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 | Boston | Brookline | Ogunquit | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
63,266 |
1,379Lowest |
118,796 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.4%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
80.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10kLowest 120% above U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,092,100±$42k 228% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
— | $2,787±$48 97% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,802 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±2.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston and Brookline 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
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% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Cambridge 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 | — | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Brookline | — | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Brookline High | — | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.9 |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.