Compare towns
Brookline vs Hadley vs Cambridge
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 kids (18.7% under 18).
Hadley has the most homeowners (73.4%).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
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 | Hadley | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
5,306Lowest |
118,796Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
45.8±7.1Highest 15% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Brookline and Hadley 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% |
24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
61.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7 MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$130,748±$4k 26% above 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 |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$1,402±$132Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,787±$48 58% 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 |
$5,271 12% below MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
6.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5Highest 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Hadley | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Hopkins Academy | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
7.3Lowest |
9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.