Compare towns
Brookline vs Lawrence 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%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% 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 | Lawrence | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
88,736Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below 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% |
26.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Lawrence 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% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lawrence 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. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,662±$50 18% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lawrence 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. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lawrence 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% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | #278 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Lawrence | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
13.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.