What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Waltham has the most affordable homes ($749k 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	Waltham
People
Population	63,266Lowest	64,902Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6% MA: +7.4%	+7.6% MA: +7.4%
Median age	35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA	34.4±1Lowest 14% below MA
	Brookline and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.1 MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	85.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	57.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	19.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA	$120,216±$7kLowest 16% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA	$748,700±$27kLowest 33% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA	$2,268±$79Lowest 29% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$4,766Lowest 20% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8%	44.7%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Brookline and Waltham 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%	9.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	49.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1961Highest 3 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 7% below MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	24.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 282 in MA	#217 of 282 in MA
School district	Brookline	Waltham
High school in town	Brookline High	Waltham Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	10.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.