What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).

Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mansfield	Brookline
People
Population	691Highest	531Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54±5.5Highest 39% above U.S.	45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	15.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Brookline and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Mansfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,304±$14kHighest 3% above U.S.	$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average
	Mansfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$200,000±$29kLowest 40% below U.S.	$290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,732±$232 23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,122Lowest 32% above U.S.	$5,000Highest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brookline and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	12.1%±12.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookline and Mansfield 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

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.