What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

Brookline has the most affordable homes ($291k 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	Newbury	Brookline
People
Population	2,027Highest	531Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.3±3.6Highest 37% above U.S.	45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	20%±6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brookline and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Newbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,477±$18kHighest 44% above U.S.	$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,400±$36kHighest 39% above U.S.	$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,732±$232 23% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,695Highest 83% above U.S.	$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50%±24.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Newbury and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 23% above U.S.	28 minLowest 8% above U.S.
Work from home	20.1%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookline and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.