Compare towns
Brookline vs Upton vs Boston vs Arlington
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).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Arlington has the most people working from home (34.5%).
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 | Upton | Boston | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 63,266 |
8,189Lowest |
666,442Highest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
| Upton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
76.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$150,701±$5k 45% above MA |
| Upton and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$933,800±$23k 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,082±$76 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$9,604 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
61.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Arlington |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Boston Latin School | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
18.7Highest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.