What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Watertown has the most affordable homes ($785k 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	Watertown
People
Population	63,266Highest	35,543Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.6% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA	39.4±1.3Highest about the MA average
Kids under 18	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	14.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9%	18.3%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Watertown 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 MA: 47.3%	66.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9%	6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA	$126,265±$6kLowest 21% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA	$784,600±$31kLowest 40% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA	$2,502±$107Lowest 42% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$6,799Lowest 13% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8%	42.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Brookline and Watertown 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%	7.5%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%	47.7%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1947Highest 17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 7% below MA	28 minHighest 5% below MA
Work from home	30.1%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	29.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Brookline and Watertown 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	#171 of 282 in MA
School district	Brookline	Watertown
High school in town	Brookline High	Watertown High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	11.1Lowest
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.