Compare towns
Somerville vs Hingham 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).
Hingham has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Brookline has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Hingham | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036Highest |
24,283Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
48.4±2.4Highest 21% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.4%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.2% MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.9Lowest 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±$6kLowest 28% above MA |
$178,390±$15kHighest 72% above MA |
$142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $911,300±$26kLowest 62% above MA |
$1,134,200±$47k 102% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Brookline and Hingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64 43% above MA |
$2,465±$603Lowest 40% above MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.3%±12Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
| Hingham and Brookline 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% |
4.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.1%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Hingham and Somerville 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 | #14 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Hingham | Brookline |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Hingham High | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.9 |
| 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.