Compare towns
Brookline vs Sutton vs Arlington
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).
Sutton has the most homeowners (89.7%).
Arlington has the most people working from home (34.5%).
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 | Sutton | Arlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
9,452Lowest |
46,350 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
44.3±2.5Highest 11% above MA |
41.6±1.3 4% above MA |
| Sutton and Arlington 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% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.5%±1.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Arlington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.3%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Sutton and Arlington 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% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kLowest 37% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$150,701±$5kHighest 45% above MA |
| Arlington and Sutton 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 |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$933,800±$23k 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$1,190±$401Lowest 32% below MA |
$2,082±$76 18% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$9,604 60% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
35%±4.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Sutton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
61.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
30 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
34.5%±2.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Arlington 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #29 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Sutton | Arlington |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Sutton High School | Arlington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
12.6 |
13.6Highest |
| 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.