Compare towns
Unity vs Middlesex vs Brookline vs Alexandria
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the oldest population (median age 58).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brookline has the most renters (15.1% rent).
Alexandria has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Unity | Middlesex | Brookline | Alexandria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,375 |
1,943 |
531Lowest |
1,983Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
52.6±5 35% above U.S. |
| Unity and Alexandria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Alexandria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$89,194±$8k 10% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Alexandria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$323,300±$27k about the U.S. average |
| Middlesex and Alexandria are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804 15% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,135±$273Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394 73% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,021 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.6%±40.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alexandria and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 32% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Unity School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 4 photos → | None yet | 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.