Compare towns
Brookline vs Everett 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).
Everett has the most affordable homes ($610k median).
Watertown has the oldest population (median age 39.4).
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 | Everett | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
50,045 |
35,543Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
39.4±1.3Highest about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest 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%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.3%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Watertown 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 MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$126,265±$6k 21% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$610,000±$23kLowest 9% above MA |
$784,600±$31k 40% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,076±$69Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,502±$107 42% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,880Lowest 19% below MA |
$6,799 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±5.7Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
47.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Everett | Watertown |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Everett High | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.1Highest |
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.