Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover 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 renters (53.1% rent).
Dover has the highest household income ($250k).
Arlington has the most affordable homes ($934k 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 | Dover | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
5,930Lowest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
44.9±2.3Highest 12% above MA |
41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
| Dover and Arlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Arlington 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% |
16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Arlington and Dover 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% |
84.8% MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
7.2%±2.7 MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookline and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$150,701±$5k 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67k 122% above MA |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 138% above MA |
$933,800±$23kLowest 66% above MA |
| Dover and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82 61% above MA |
$2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$2,082±$76Lowest 18% above MA |
| Dover and Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,604Lowest 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
20%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
61.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1970Highest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Arlington |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
9.8Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| 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.