Compare towns
Lee vs Brookline vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lee has the most renters (28.9% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Deerfield has the highest household income ($106k).
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 | Lee | Brookline | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,719Highest |
531Lowest |
5,158 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
51.8±3.6 33% above U.S. |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$106,136±$14kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Deerfield and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $352,700±$19k 6% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$414,900±$37kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$212 about the U.S. average |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,334±$318Lowest 6% 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 | $3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,824Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.3%±21.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest 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 | 7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 31% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Deerfield 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 | — | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lee | — | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Lee Middle/High School | — | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 20 photos → | 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.