Compare towns
Brookline vs Canton 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).
Canton has the most homeowners (73.6%).
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 | Canton | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
24,748Lowest |
35,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA |
39.4±1.3 about the MA average |
| Canton and Watertown 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% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.3%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Canton and Watertown 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% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
66.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA |
$126,265±$6kLowest 21% above MA |
| Canton and Brookline 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 |
$710,600±$27kLowest 26% above MA |
$784,600±$31k 40% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,315±$178Lowest 31% above MA |
$2,502±$107 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$6,799 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Canton 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
47.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Brookline and Watertown 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Watertown |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Canton High | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
13.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.