Compare towns
Brookline vs Pelham 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).
Pelham has the most homeowners (79.1%).
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 | Pelham | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266 |
1,335Lowest |
118,796Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
45±8.4Highest 13% above MA |
30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Brookline 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% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
$113,750±$24kLowest 9% 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 |
$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
$1,092,100±$42k 94% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% 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 |
$7,472 25% above MA |
$4,802Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3% MA: 10% |
12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 7% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.8%±1.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham 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 | — | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Pelham | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Brookline High | None in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.