Compare towns
Brookline vs Hingham vs Hull
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Hull has the most affordable homes ($646k 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 | Hull |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
24,283 |
10,138Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
48.4±2.4 21% above MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hull and Hingham 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% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$646,000±$38kLowest 15% 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 |
$2,081±$187Lowest 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 |
$6,089Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Hull 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #66 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Hingham | — |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Hingham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.