What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).

Pelham has the most homeowners (86.7%).

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	Pelham
People
Population	63,266Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.2Lowest 10% below U.S.	41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Pelham 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 U.S.: 35.7%	40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kLowest 68% above U.S.
	Brookline and Pelham 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 275% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kLowest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S.	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$8,634Lowest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 282 in MA	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Brookline	Pelham School District
High school in town	Brookline High	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.