Compare towns
Somerville vs Hatfield vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Hatfield has the most homeowners (74.6%).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k 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.
| Measure | Somerville | Hatfield | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036Highest |
3,325Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
46.8±5Highest 17% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Brookline and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4% MA: 47.3% |
48.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3 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±$6k 28% above MA |
$89,005±$25kLowest 14% below 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±$26k 62% above MA |
$440,800±$26kLowest 22% below MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64 43% above MA |
$1,267±$216Lowest 28% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186 3% above MA |
$4,930Lowest 18% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
42.6%±11.8 MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Brookline and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
8.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
20 minLowest 30% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2 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 | #198 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Hatfield | Brookline |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Smith Academy | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
6.1Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.