What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k 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.

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

Measure	Brookline	Springfield
People
Population	63,266Lowest	154,749Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA	33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA
	Brookline and Springfield 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%	24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%	13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	7.5%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA	$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA	$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA	$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$3,695Lowest 38% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8%	57.7%±3.1Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%	25.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1952Highest 12 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 7% below MA	20 minLowest 31% below MA
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	8.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 282 in MA	#276 of 282 in MA
School district	Brookline	Springfield
High school in town	Brookline High	Springfield Central High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	12.2Highest
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.