What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boylston has the most homeowners (79.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boylston	Brookline
People
Population	4,948Lowest	63,266Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA	35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA
Kids under 18	18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Brookline and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3%	85.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,962±$28kLowest 36% above MA	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA
	Brookline and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,032±$350Lowest 15% above MA	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,266Lowest 21% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8%
	Brookline and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest MA: 10%	8.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 8% below MA	27 minHighest 7% below MA
Work from home	22.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Brookline and Boylston 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	#72 of 282 in MA	#22 of 282 in MA
School district	Berlin-Boylston	Brookline
High school in town	Tahanto Regional High	Brookline High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.