Compare towns
Brookline vs Hingham 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).
Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).
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 | Hingham | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
24,283Lowest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Hingham 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% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
76.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$150,701±$5k 45% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$933,800±$23kLowest 66% above MA |
| Brookline and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,465±$603 40% above MA |
$2,082±$76Lowest 18% above MA |
| Brookline and Hingham 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%±4 MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham 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% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
61.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington and Hingham 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Hingham | Arlington |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Hingham High | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
12.9 |
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.