Compare towns
Brookline vs Northbridge 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%).
Northbridge has the most expensive homes ($449k median).
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 | Northbridge | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531 |
16,458Highest |
513Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
| Northbridge and Hyde Park 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. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,306±$285 8% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Hyde Park 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. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$3,893Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Northbridge 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Northbridge | — |
| High school in town | — | Northbridge High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| 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.