Compare towns
Brookline vs Suffield vs Boston vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Cambridge has the youngest population (median age 30.4).
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 | Suffield | Boston | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 63,266 |
15,702Lowest |
666,442Highest |
118,796 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
33.3±0.2 14% below U.S. |
30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±0.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±0.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Suffield 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% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
80.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15%±0.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$97,344±$2kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
| 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 275% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$731,700±$10k 120% above U.S. |
$1,092,100±$42k 228% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,147±$25 52% above U.S. |
$2,787±$48 97% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$4,456Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$4,802 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Boston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
35.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±0.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cambridge and Brookline 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #258 of 282 in MA | #122 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Suffield School District | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Cambridge |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Suffield High School | Boston Latin School | Cambridge Rindge and Latin |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
10.9 |
18.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.