Compare towns
Brookline vs Wolcott vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Wolcott has the most homeowners (88.4%).
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wolcott | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
16,279Lowest |
118,796Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
44.4±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wolcott and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolcott and Brookline 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
80.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$110,850±$10kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge 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 275% above U.S. |
$326,200±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$1,092,100±$42k 228% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
$1,464±$913Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,787±$48 97% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge 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 221% above U.S. |
$5,799 86% above U.S. |
$4,802Lowest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±24.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wolcott and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cambridge 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 | #76 of 149 in CT | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wolcott School District | Cambridge |
| High school in town | — | Wolcott High School | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.