Brookline, MA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 191, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Brookline is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Brookline ranks as the #110 cheapest in Massachusetts out of 113.

  • Brookline ranks as the #6,276 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Brookline is $1,055,400.

  • The median income in Brookline is $122,356.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
191
Brookline's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
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 191, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Massachusetts, Brookline has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Massachusetts's index of 143.

The standard of living in Brookline ranks as #110 most affordable out of the 113 places we measured in Massachusetts. By definition, that implies Brookline ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Bay State.

For more reading on life in Brookline, check out:

110 out of 113
In Massachusetts
6,276 out of 6,412
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 129.

  • The Groceries index in Brookline is 113.

  • The Health index in Brookline is 120.

  • The Housing index in Brookline is 353.

  • The Transportation index in Brookline is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Brookline is 123.

Living Expense Brookline Massachusetts National Average
Overall 191 143 100
Services 129 126 100
Groceries 113 108 100
Health 120 117 100
Housing 353 202 100
Transportation 109 114 100
Utilities 123 123 100
For more reading on cost of living around Massachusetts, check out:
Brookline Cost of Living Vs. MA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Brookline is $1,055,400.

  • The Median Rent in Brookline is $2,452.

  • The Median Income in Brookline is $122,356.

  • The Home Value To Income in Brookline is 8.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Brookline is 0.24x.

Statistic Brookline Massachusetts United States
Median Home Value $1,055,400 $424,700 $244,900
Median Rent $2,452 $1,429 $1,163
Median Income $122,356 $89,026 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.6x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Brookline, MA
$1,055,400
Median Home Value
$2,452
Median Rent
$122,356
Median Income

Brookline, MA Costs By Category

Detailed Brookline Services Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Brookline Massachusetts
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $14.43 $10.68
Bowling $21.0 $14.67
Haircut $34.97 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.17 $39.05

Detailed Brookline Groceries Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Brookline Massachusetts
Ground Beef $3.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.64 $1.39
Milk $2.27 $2.05
Potatoes $4.02 $3.29
Pizza $11.16 $10.62
Beer $9.29 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.3 $2.34

Detailed Brookline Health Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Brookline Massachusetts
Optometrist $102.75 $108.57
Doctor $194.0 $116.17
Dentist $108.27 $99.13

Detailed Brookline Transportation Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Brookline Massachusetts
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $64.47 $50.07

Detailed Brookline Utilities Costs Vs. Massachusetts

Item Brookline Massachusetts
All Electricity $233.87 $167.67
Phone $181.11 $175.64

Brookline SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
10
Education
10
Commute
5

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 148, 0.8x Brookline.

  • Cambridge, MA has a cost of living index of 172, 0.9x Brookline.

  • Newton, MA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.0x Brookline.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Brookline
Boston, MA 672,814 148 0.8x
Cambridge, MA 116,892 172 0.9x
Newton, MA 88,647 192 1.0x
Somerville, MA 80,608 158 0.8x
Arlington, MA 46,045 162 0.8x
Lexington, MA 34,235 190 1.0x
Needham, MA 31,808 180 0.9x
Wellesley, MA 29,365 216 1.1x
Milton, MA 28,382 156 0.8x
Belmont, MA 27,056 181 0.9x

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