Compare towns
Brookline vs Windsor Locks vs Watertown
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 expensive homes ($1247k median).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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.
| Measure | Brookline | Windsor Locks | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 63,266Highest |
12,579Lowest |
35,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2Lowest 10% below U.S. |
41.4±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
39.4±1.3 about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Watertown and Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$126,265±$6k 56% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$784,600±$31k 136% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
$1,394±$187Lowest about the U.S. average |
$2,502±$107 77% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Brookline 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% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
47.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline | Windsor Locks School District | Watertown |
| High school in town | Brookline High | Windsor Locks High School | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.