Compare towns
Cambridge vs Hull vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.6%).
Hull has the most homeowners (79.6%).
Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).
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 | Hull | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 118,796Highest |
10,138Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 30.4±0.4Lowest 24% below MA |
56.1±1.8Highest 40% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
11.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 12.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.1%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.8% MA: 47.3% |
50.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 25.1%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $130,748±$4k 26% above MA |
$115,485±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| 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 94% above MA |
$646,000±$38kLowest 15% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,787±$48 58% above MA |
$2,081±$187Lowest 18% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| 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 20% below MA |
$6,089 about the MA average |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±2.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±14Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
| Hull and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Highest 14 yrs older than MA |
1946 18 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 30.8%±1.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #66 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cambridge | — | Brookline |
| High school in town | Cambridge Rindge and Latin | — | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.