Compare towns
Whitman vs Brookline vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Rockland has the highest household income ($112k).
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 | Whitman | Brookline | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,295 |
531Lowest |
17,701Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
40.7±3.3 5% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Whitman and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitman and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 35% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$112,405±$12kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 42% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$472,900±$21kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest 25% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,610±$255Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Whitman and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 87% above U.S. |
$5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,487Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.7%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitman and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Rockland 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | — | #175 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | — | Rockland |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Rockland Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
| 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.