Compare towns
Brookline vs Townsend vs Wareham
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%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
9,100 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Wareham 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±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,504±$180 6% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Wareham 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. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,341Lowest 39% 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% |
51.4%±23.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wareham 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% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older 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. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | North Middlesex | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.