Compare towns
Brookline vs Braintree vs Lee
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Braintree | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Highest |
1,026Lowest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Lee 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% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lee 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. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lee 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. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Lee 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | — | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.