Compare towns
Brookline vs Brunswick 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Townsend has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
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 | Brunswick | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
22,336Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
17.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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% |
22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,469±$99Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Brunswick 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. |
$4,756Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick and Townsend 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Brunswick 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.