Compare towns
Brookline vs Ogunquit vs Freeport 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 highest household income ($171k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Freeport has the shortest commute (24 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 | Ogunquit | Freeport | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
1,379Lowest |
8,802 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
— | $1,439±$123Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Townsend 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. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | — | #4 of 133 in ME | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | — | RSU 05 | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Freeport High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2Lowest |
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.