Residential comparison · 13 facts
Brookline, MA vs Newton, MA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Brookline needs about $73,000 in Newton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Newton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $97,000 in Brookline.
A few differences
- Newton is higher on median household income ($190,304 vs $142,101).
- Newton is lower on cost of living index (172 vs 180).
- Newton is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,525/mo vs $3,141/mo).
Brookline vs Newton · facet by facet
| Facet | Brookline, MA | Newton, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,246,800 | $1,264,900 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,141/mo | $2,525/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| State & local income tax | 5% | 5% |
| Sales tax | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Cost of living index | 180 | 172 |
| Groceries index | 108 | 108 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $142,101 | $190,304 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Crime index | 30/100 | 30/100 |
| School rating | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 200 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Brookline, MA · Newton, MA
Questions & answers
- Is Brookline cheaper than Newton?
- Newton has the lower day-to-day cost index (172 vs 180 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Newton equals $85,000 in Brookline?
- A household earning $85,000 in Brookline needs about $73,000 in Newton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Newton lifestyle costs about $97,000 in Brookline.