Compare towns
Boston vs Lowell 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 renters (64.3% rent).
Lowell has the most affordable homes ($429k 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 | Lowell | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
118,368 |
63,266Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
35.6±0.8Highest 11% below MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Lowell and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3 MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2k 6% below MA |
$78,658±$4kLowest 24% below MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$429,200±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$1,625±$40Lowest 8% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,499 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lowell 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% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
43.2% MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1953Highest 11 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 4% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Lowell | — |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Lowell High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
14.8Lowest |
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| 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.