Should I Move To
Brookline, Massachusetts is home to about 62,698 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 28% above the national average. The median renter pays around $2,702 a month against a typical household income of $130,600. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 52 out of 100 (grade C-), putting it at #426 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Brookline's composite cost-of-living index lands at 128 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $2,702/mo against $130,600 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 25% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $1,181,200.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 26°F. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life. Air quality reads good (AQI 35).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Brookline doesn't obviously fit families. It earns 49/100 (grade D) on the families profile. Strongest on education (100/100); weakest on affordability (10/100).
Brookline doesn't obviously fit retirees. It earns 34/100 (grade F) on the retirees profile. Strongest on education (100/100); weakest on affordability (10/100).
Brookline doesn't obviously fit remote workers. It earns 35/100 (grade F) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on education (100/100); weakest on affordability (10/100).
Brookline doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 46/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on education (100/100); weakest on affordability (10/100).
Brookline, Massachusetts pulls a 52/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C-), currently ranked #426 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Brookline's cost-of-living index is 128 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the expensive band — 28% above the national average. Median rent runs about $2,702/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 26°F, with about 44 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 11/100. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life.
Brookline has about 62,698 residents, 84% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 35.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Brookline head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Brookline stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Brookline with other Massachusetts cities scored on UrbRank.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.