What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($544k median).

Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Dorchester
People
Population	5,736Highest	410Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13% NH: +4.6%	—
Median age	41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH	56±10.5Highest 29% above NH
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%	11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%	39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Highest NH: 40.6%	35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6%	0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Brookline and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,046±$4k 73% above NH	—
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH	$139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1k 68% above NH	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$3,779Lowest 43% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Brookline and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%	18.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Lowest NH: 72.8%	96.3%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH	1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 25% above NH	40 minHighest 50% above NH
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8%	12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Brookline and Dorchester 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	—
School district	Brookline School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.