Brookline vs Newton
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
On schools these two are genuinely close — same tier and within five MCAS percentiles of each other — so the schools should not decide it. Price and commute should.
Brookline is about 7 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
On tax, look past the rate: Newton works out roughly $2,600 a year cheaper on its own median 4BR.
Choose Brookline if the commute matters most.
All Brookline numbers →Choose Newton if you want the lower price.
All Newton numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsBrookline ahead on 2 of 10
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | top schoolsT1 | top schoolsT1 |
| MCAS achievement | 93rd | 91st |
| Student growth | 60th | 59th |
| Graduation rate | 95.9% | 95.5% |
| Niche district rank | 1st of 236 | 10th of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 18th of 361 | 50th of 361 |
| State accountability | Meeting or exceeding targets | Substantial progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $27,765 | $26,567 |
| Schools in the district | 11 | 20 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 73 | 74 |
What a home costsNewton ahead on 2 of 8
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $2.05MT4 | $1.9MT4 |
| 3BR townhouse | $1.35M | $1.25M |
| 2BR condo | $1M | $925k |
| 3BR home | $1.39M | $1.32M |
| 5+ BR home | $3.34M | $2.5M |
| 3BR rent | $4,953/mo | $4,647/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $527k | $485k |
| 10-year price growth | 2% a year | 4.9% a year |
What you pay the townNewton ahead on 1 of 4
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $10.24T2 | $9.69T1 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$21,000 | ≈$18,400 |
| Town spending per resident | $5,771 | $5,958 |
| Share of budget on schools | 40% | 45% |
Getting to workBrookline ahead on 5 of 8, 1 against
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 24 minT1 | 31 minT2 |
| MBTA rail | Rapid transit (T) · ~21 min to downtown | Rapid transit (T) · ~26 min to downtown |
| Miles from downtown | 5 mi | 8 mi |
| Rail to Downtown | 21 min | 26 min |
| Rail to Back Bay | 26 min | 20 min |
| Rail to Kendall Sq | 23 min | 33 min |
| Rail to the Seaport | 24 min | 28 min |
| Rail to Longwood | 0 min | 14 min |
Before kindergartenNewton ahead on 2 of 4
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed child care programs | 50 | 89 |
| Child care places | 3,182 | 4,937 |
| Centers vs family programs | 44 centers | 64 centers |
| Infant places in centers | 819 | 756 |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,191 | 88,923 |
| Energy | 8/10 | 7/10 |
| Compact center | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Family amenities | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Culture | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Gathering places | 9/10 | 8/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
