What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marion has the most expensive homes ($654k median).

Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k median).

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	Marion	Brooklyn
People
Population	5,310Lowest	8,517Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	53.8±4Highest 38% above U.S.	45.6±2.5Lowest 17% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brooklyn and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.3%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Marion and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,092±$30kHighest 77% above U.S.	$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$653,500±$47kHighest 96% above U.S.	$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,176±$516Highest 17% below U.S.	$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S.
	Marion and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,766Highest 85% above U.S.	$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	75.8%±26.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Marion and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	20.1%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Marion and Brooklyn 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	#141 of 282 in MA	#113 of 149 in CT
School district	Marion	Brooklyn School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.