Compare towns
Brookline vs Cambridge vs Everett
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 homeowners (46.9%).
Cambridge has the youngest population (median age 30.4).
Everett has the most affordable homes ($610k median).
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 | Cambridge | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
118,796Highest |
50,045Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
35.2±1.5Highest 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Everett and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$130,748±$4k 26% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
| 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 122% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,787±$48 58% above MA |
$2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA |
| 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 67% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.8% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Cambridge | Everett |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
9.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.