Compare towns
Brookline vs Concord vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Concord has the most homeowners (75.7%).
Boston has the most affordable homes ($732k 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 | Brookline | Concord | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
18,223Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
47.6±2Highest 19% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
23.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
79.4% MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$195,350±$22kHighest 88% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,210,000±$72k 115% above MA |
$731,700±$10kLowest 30% above MA |
| Brookline and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,631±$166 49% above MA |
$2,147±$25Lowest 22% above MA |
| Brookline and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Concord and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
36.1%±4.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Concord and Brookline 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 | #22 of 282 in MA | #10 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Concord · Concord-Carlisle | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | — | Concord Carlisle High | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| 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.