Compare towns
Brookline vs Everett vs Bow 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 most people working from home (24.7%).
Everett has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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.
| Measure | Brookline | Everett | Bow | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
50,045Highest |
8,335 |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
35.2±1.5Lowest 10% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline 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% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$85,218±$7kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69 47% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Everett 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. |
$4,880Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% 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%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett 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% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #264 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Everett | Bow School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Everett High | Bow High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.