Compare towns
Brookline vs Marblehead vs Watertown
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 most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Marblehead has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Watertown has the most affordable homes ($785k 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 | Marblehead | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
20,413Lowest |
35,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
49.1±2Highest 23% above MA |
39.4±1.3 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Marblehead and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.3%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
66.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$182,132±$28kHighest 75% above MA |
$126,265±$6kLowest 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
$784,600±$31kLowest 40% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$1,764±$147Lowest about the MA average |
$2,502±$107 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$6,799Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marblehead and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
47.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1944 20 yrs older than MA |
1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead 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 | #47 of 282 in MA | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Marblehead | Watertown |
| High school in town | — | Marblehead High | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| 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.