Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hooksett vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has the most renters (66.5% rent).
Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Cambridge is a college town. 25.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Cambridge | Hooksett | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
15,057Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 22% below U.S. |
41.3±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
35.2±1.2 10% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hooksett and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4k 62% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kLowest 46% above U.S. |
$142,101±$8kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,092,100±$42k 228% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 275% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48 97% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$2,835±$82Highest 101% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,802Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
46.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
30.1%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cambridge 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 | #122 of 282 in MA | #30 of 120 in NH | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | Hooksett School District | Brookline |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | None in town | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.