Town Hall · Brookline

Brookline, MA town hall & government

Brookline spent $499.3 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $7,984 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Brookline's government.

Meetings

Coming up at Brookline's town hall

Recent meetings

  • Sep 25Fri · 9:30 am
    Metro Public Health CollaborativeMPHC Monthly Meeting11 Pierce St, and remote via Zoom Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 7:00 pm
    Zoning Board of AppealsZoning Board of Appeals Virtual Public HearingVirtual Public Hearing (Zoom) Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 6:30 pm
    Transportation BoardLawrence School Staff Permit Parking Program Subcommittee Meeting Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 6:00 pm
    Transportation BoardTraffic Calming Subcommittee MeetingRemote via Zoom Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 6:00 pm
    Community Preservation Act CommitteeCommunity Preservation Act Committee MeetingVirtual Public Meeting (Zoom) Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 5:30 pm
    Advisory CommitteePersonnel Subcommittee Hearing WA 2Remote Via Zoom Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 4:30 pm
    Moderator's Committee on StipendsTown Hall, 333 Washington Street, Room 103 and Zoom Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 24Thu · 4:00 pm
    Pierce School Building CommitteePierce School Building Committee Meeting4:00pm - Construction Site Walk;, 4:45pm - Hybrid Meeting Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗

Official listings from Brookline's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.

Town budget

Where Brookline's money goes

Spent
$499.3 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$7,984
typical Massachusetts towns: $7,534
Long-term debt
$465.7 million
$7,447 per resident
Schools
$253.2 million51%
Water & other utilities
$32.2 million6%
Fire
$23.2 million5%
Police
$21.6 million4%
Interest on debt
$15.1 million3%
Administration & buildings
$11 million2%
Parks & libraries
$10 million2%
Roads & transportation
$7.9 million2%
Paid to other governments
$6.5 million1%
Sewer & trash
$5.5 million1%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$4.8 million1%
Health & welfare
$1.5 million<1%
Housing & development
$1.2 million<1%
Other
$105.4 million21%

Brookline runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Massachusetts towns.

Where the money comes from

  • Property taxes 71%
  • Utility sales 9%
  • From the state 8%
  • Fees & charges 4%
  • Interest, fines & other 3%
  • From the federal government 3%
  • Other taxes & licenses 2%
  • Sales taxes 1%
Town workforce

Who works for Brookline

Full-time staff
1,730
1,295 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$102,000
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
112
and 151 full-time firefighters
Schools
1,063 full-time558 part
Parks & libraries
95 full-time245 part
Police
155 full-time17 part
Fire
158 full-time1 part
Administration & buildings
54 full-time11 part
Roads & transportation
51 full-time2 part
Health & welfare
35 full-time25 part
Water & other utilities
26 full-time
Housing & development
19 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
7 full-time3 part
Sewer & trash
7 full-time
Other
60 full-time433 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2023. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Brookline School District

Brookline's K–12 school district. The schools are run by Brookline, so this money is part of the budget above.

Spending per pupil
$29,170
Massachusetts: $26,530
Students
7,039
in the whole district
Long-term debt
None
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Massachusetts districts overall: 49% local, 43% state, 8% federal

  • Local 79%
  • State 19%
  • Federal 3%

Of the $29,170 per pupil, $18,737 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Brookline pay

Typical tax bill
$10,000+
a year · Massachusetts typical $5,992
Typical home value
$1,246,800
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Brookline's government

🏛️ Official websitebrooklinema.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Brookline →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Brookline

Brookline is represented in Congress by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey and Representative Jake Auchincloss. Maura Healey is governor.

All of Brookline's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Brookline

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