What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).

York has the shortest commute (24 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	York
People
Population	5,736Lowest	13,986Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.	49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22%	21.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and York 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%	27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and York 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.	$121,250±$25kLowest 50% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kLowest 64% above U.S.	$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S.	$1,490±$336Lowest 5% above U.S.
	Brookline and York 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.	$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.5%±10.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	York and Brookline 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%	5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	24 minLowest 11% below U.S.
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	York 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	#13 of 133 in ME
School district	Brookline School District	York Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	York High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.