Compare towns
Webster vs Brookline vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Webster | Brookline | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
5,736Lowest |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the U.S. average |
41.2±1.5Highest 6% above U.S. |
37.2±2.1Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$63,837±$8kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$333,100±$14kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,198±$85Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 28% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,234Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
45.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Brookline School District | — |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.