Compare towns
Boston vs Chilmark vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most affordable homes ($732k median).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (30.1%).
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 | Chilmark | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
1,578Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Brookline and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$168,750±$28kHighest 62% above MA |
$142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
| Chilmark 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±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67k 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25Lowest 22% above MA |
$2,750±$2k 56% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Brookline and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 8% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11 MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Brookline and Chilmark 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 |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Up-Island Regional | Brookline |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | None in town | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
— | 11.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.