Compare towns
Brookline vs Townsend vs Lee vs Brentwood
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%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Brentwood has the oldest population (median age 43.8).
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 | Townsend | Lee | Brentwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
9,100Highest |
4,576Lowest |
4,641 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
43.8±3.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Lee 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%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Lee 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lee 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. |
$121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
$165,509±$23k 105% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
$528,100±$75k 59% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
— | $2,217±$654 57% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Brentwood 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
$9,713 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.9%±37.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brentwood 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1995Highest 15 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Brookline 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH | #16 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | North Middlesex | Oyster River Coop School District | Brentwood School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → | 6 photos → |
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.