Compare towns
Brookline vs Ashby vs Auburn
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 (26.7% under 18).
Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
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 | Ashby | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736 |
3,211Lowest |
6,119Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$153,253±$6k 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$600,300±$29kHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,893±$822 34% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Auburn 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. |
$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,092 159% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashby and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Auburn 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #200 of 282 in MA | #44 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | North Middlesex | Auburn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.