Compare towns
Brookline vs Needham 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 expensive homes ($1247k median).
Needham has the most homeowners (83.1%).
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
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 | Needham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
32,459Lowest |
118,796Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
43.1±1.6Highest 8% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Needham and Brookline 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% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$130,748±$4kLowest 26% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43k 111% above MA |
$1,092,100±$42kLowest 94% above MA |
| Brookline and Needham 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 |
$2,409±$183Lowest 37% above 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 7% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Needham and Cambridge 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | — | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Brookline High | — | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.