Compare towns
Boston vs Smithfield vs Brookline
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).
Smithfield has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Smithfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
22,233Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 14% below U.S. |
41.8±2.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,207 67% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Smithfield 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% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #258 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Smithfield | Brookline |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | Smithfield High School | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.