Compare towns
Brookline vs Hadley vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the most affordable homes ($511k 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 | Hadley | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
5,306Lowest |
63,266Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
27 minHighest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Hadley | — |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Hopkins Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
7.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.