What stands out worked out from the figures below

Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).

Brookline has the most kids (18.7% under 18).

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	Somerville	Brookline
People
Population	81,036Highest	63,266Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA	35.2±1.2Highest 12% below MA
Kids under 18	9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9%	15.8%±1.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	85.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%	10.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Somerville and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA	$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA
	Brookline and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA	$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,517±$64Lowest 43% above MA	$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,186Lowest 3% above MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	9.8%Highest MA: 10%	8.7%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%	46.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 26 yrs older than MA	1938 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 7% above MA	27 minLowest 7% below MA
Work from home	31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6%	30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Somerville 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	#225 of 282 in MA	#22 of 282 in MA
School district	Somerville	Brookline
High school in town	Somerville High	Brookline High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	11.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.