Compare towns
Brookline vs Roxbury vs Andover
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 kids (20% under 18).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Roxbury | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531 |
299Lowest |
616Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Andover 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% |
14.7%±11.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Roxbury 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% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury 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 U.S. average |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Andover 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 13% below U.S. |
$323,100±$219k about the U.S. average |
$382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Andover and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
— | $1,389±$364Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookline and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,787Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,190 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Brookline 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 | 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.