Brookline, MA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Brookline, MA Summary
Cost of living in Brookline research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Brookline is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Massachusetts, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Brookline is 221, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Brookline is 2.2x higher than the national average.
Brookline ranks as the #111 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 112.
Brookline ranks as the #6,386 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Brookline is $1,181,761.
The median income in Brookline is $140,631.
Table Of Contents
Brookline's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Brookline, MA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brookline has an overall cost of living index of 221, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Massachusetts, Brookline has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than Massachusetts's index of 134.
The standard of living in Brookline ranks as #111 most affordable out of the 112 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Brookline ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Bay State.
For more reading on life in Brookline, check out:
In Massachusetts
In America
Brookline Cost Of Living Vs. Massachusetts
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brookline. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Brookline is 122.
The Groceries index in Brookline is 106.
The Health index in Brookline is 112.
The Housing index in Brookline is 455.
The Transportation index in Brookline is 119.
The Utilities index in Brookline is 132.
| Living Expense | Brookline | Massachusetts | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 221 | 134 | 100 | |
| Services | 122 | 121 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 106 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 112 | 100 | |
| Housing | 455 | 164 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 119 | 120 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 132 | 136 | 100 | |
Brookline, MA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Massachusetts, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Brookline is $1,181,761.
The Median Rent in Brookline is $2,804.
The Median Income in Brookline is $140,631.
The Home Value To Income in Brookline is 8.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Brookline is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Brookline | Massachusetts | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,181,761 | $649,115 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,804 | $1,687 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $140,631 | $101,341 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.4x | 6.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Brookline, MA Costs By Category
Detailed Brookline Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Brookline | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.49 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.49 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $29.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $43.72 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.56 | $45.56 |
Detailed Brookline Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Brookline | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.48 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.52 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.53 | $3.7 |
Detailed Brookline Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Brookline | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $157.89 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Brookline Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Brookline | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.43 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $97.39 | $59.92 |
Detailed Brookline Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts
| Item | Brookline | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $302.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.85 | $192.25 |
Brookline SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Brookline
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brookline. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Boston, MA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.8x Brookline.
Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 201, 0.9x Brookline.
Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 208, 0.9x Brookline.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | 663,972 | 167 | 0.8x |
| Cambridge, MA | 117,794 | 201 | 0.9x |
| Newton, MA | 88,504 | 208 | 0.9x |
| Somerville, MA | 80,549 | 184 | 0.8x |
| Arlington, MA | 46,015 | 179 | 0.8x |
| Lexington, MA | 34,085 | 211 | 1.0x |
| Needham, MA | 32,059 | 202 | 0.9x |
| Wellesley, MA | 29,906 | 243 | 1.1x |
| Milton, MA | 28,481 | 167 | 0.8x |
| Belmont, MA | 27,009 | 204 | 0.9x |
