Compare towns
Brookline vs Cambridge vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k median).
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Cambridge | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
3,767Highest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
| Brookline and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$72,344±$19kLowest 11% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 8% below VT |
$343,000±$38k 8% above VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
| Middlesex and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,183±$66Lowest 4% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
| Brookline and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,910Lowest about the VT average |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Cambridge and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% VT: 73.2% |
70.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 21% above VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
27 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #25 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Cambridge School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.