What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most people working from home (30.1%).

Lynn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Lynn
People
Population	63,266Lowest	101,709Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA	36.5±1.2Highest 9% below MA
	Lynn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%	13.7%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Brookline and Lynn 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%	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA	$75,043±$3kLowest 28% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA	$510,100±$23kLowest 9% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA	$1,722±$60Lowest about the MA average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$5,384Lowest 10% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8%	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%	13.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	48.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1946Highest 18 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 7% below MA	32 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 282 in MA	#277 of 282 in MA
School district	Brookline	Lynn
High school in town	Brookline High	Lynn English High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	15.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.