Compare towns
Brookline vs Lee vs Hyde Park
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 (20.6%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k 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.
| Measure | Brookline | Lee | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531 |
5,719Highest |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above U.S. |
| Hyde Park and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$352,700±$19kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,306±$285Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Lee 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. |
$3,980 28% above U.S. |
$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lee and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Lee 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 | — | #209 of 282 in MA | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Lee | — |
| High school in town | — | Lee Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.