Compare towns
Somerville vs Ipswich 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).
Ipswich has the most homeowners (74.4%).
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 | Ipswich | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 81,036Highest |
13,930Lowest |
63,266 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Ipswich and Brookline 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% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.4% MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
$142,101±$8kHighest 37% above MA |
| Brookline and Ipswich 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 |
$745,400±$40kLowest 33% above MA |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,517±$64 43% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4 MA: 51.8% |
| Ipswich 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% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1964Highest same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 7% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8Lowest 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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #22 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Somerville | Ipswich | Brookline |
| High school in town | Somerville High | Ipswich High | Brookline High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
9.0Lowest |
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.