Compare towns
Brookline vs Berwick vs Townsend
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 highest household income ($171k).
Berwick has the most affordable homes ($369k median).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
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 | Berwick | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
8,175 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.7±2.9Lowest 5% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
22.7%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Berwick 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% |
17.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berwick and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$94,771±$24kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$369,100±$19kLowest 11% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,452±$430Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | RSU 60/MSAD 60 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
| 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.