What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).

Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k 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.

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

Measure	Brookline	Castle Hill
People
Population	531Highest	281Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S.	57.8±15.8Highest 49% above U.S.
	Castle Hill and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±6Highest U.S.: 22%	14.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	44.8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	26.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookline and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average	$54,250±$14kLowest 33% below U.S.
	Brookline and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S.	$145,300±$18kLowest 56% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S.	$950±$574Lowest 33% below U.S.
	Brookline and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest 60% above U.S.	$1,449Lowest 54% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Castle Hill and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	19 minLowest 29% below U.S.
Work from home	20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.3%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookline and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.