Compare towns
Boston vs Fall River 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Fall River has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k 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 | Boston | Fall River | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
94,082 |
63,266Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
39.3±1.2Highest about the MA average |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Fall River and Brookline 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% |
16.1%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Fall River and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 6% below MA |
$56,673±$3kLowest 45% below MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$395,500±$11kLowest 30% below MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$1,155±$27Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456 26% below MA |
$3,953Lowest 34% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.5%±3.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Fall River and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7% MA: 62.5% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #262 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Fall River · Greater Fall River Regional Vocational Technical | Brookline |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | B M C Durfee High | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.3Lowest |
11.9 |
| 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.