Boston vs Brookline
Boston, Massachusetts versus Brookline, Massachusetts: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Brookline edges out Boston on overall objective livability (51 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Boston | Brookline |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $89k | $131k |
| Cost of Living | $82k | $82k |
| Home Value | $685k | $1.2M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $3k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.60% | 0.80% |
| Income Tax | 9.00% | 9.00% |
| Sales Tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.66% | 18.28% |
| Unemployment | 6.6% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.4 in | 49.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2 in | 49.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 181 days | 181 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 8.9 | 18.5 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2433/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 1825/100k | 917/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 665,945 | 62,698 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 35.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.49 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.85 |
| Political Leaning | D+64 | D+64 |
| White (%) | 44.2% | 66.4% |
| Black (%) | 21.0% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.6% | 6.6% |
| Asian (%) | 9.6% | 18.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.7% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 31 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 14.7/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 4 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 95.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.07 | 362.85 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Boston or Brookline more affordable?
- Brookline has the lower cost of living: its index is $82k, compared with Boston's $82k and Brookline's $82k. Median rent is $2k in Boston versus $3k in Brookline.
- Is Boston or Brookline safer?
- Brookline has the lower violent crime rate. Boston reports 2433/100k and Brookline reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Boston or Brookline?
- The median home value is $685k in Boston and $1.2M in Brookline, so homes are more affordable in Boston.