F
120%
Overall NAT. AVG.
22%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
354%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Brookline Massachusetts National
Cost of living220133100
Goods & Services122122100
Groceries105105100
Health care113113100
Housing454165100
Transportation118118100
Utilities134134100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Brookline, MA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Brookline? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Brookline stands at 220, making it 120% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Brookline may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Brookline falls within this bracket.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Brookline cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 354.2% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

Everyday goods and services make up 33% of the cost of living index and include things like clothing, personal hygiene products and entertainment which are a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Unfortunately, Brookline goods and services are 21.6% more expensive than the national average, leaving you with less money at the end of the month.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Brookline?

Locals have the inside scoop on their city. So, we polled 9 residents in Brookline to learn how they view the cost of living. We asked how they felt about the cost of living in their area, and if they thought that prices were increasing, decreasing or staying the same. The verdict? 22% find it reasonable with decreasing prices, but 78% think it's quite pricey, with prices that continue to rise.

Is Brookline Affordable?

Is Brookline affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Brookline, the median home price is 444.8% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 142.9% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Brookline boasting a median household income of $113,642, 105.4% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Brookline?

Taxes: Cities that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an escalated cost of living. The added expense of taxes on everyday goods like clothing and food naturally results in higher overall costs. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can further elevate the cost of living. In Brookline, the general sales tax rate starts at 6.25%, and income tax rates begin at 5%.

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Brookline cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Brookline is 65% higher than the Massachusetts average
  • The cost of living in Brookline is 120% higher than the national average
  • Brookline housing is 354% higher than the national average
  • Massachusetts general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Massachusetts state income tax is 93% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Brookline

See all the best places to live around Brookline

Compare Brookline, MA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$174,718$14,560$4,076$5,242
      Renters$86,369$7,197$2,015$2,591
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Brookline is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Brookline has a median income of about $174,718 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $4,076 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $86,369. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $2,015 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      Massachusetts Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Massachusetts 6.25% 6.25%

      Massachusetts Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Massachusetts 5% 9%

      Goods & Services

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      Haircut $43.72$24.2680.2%
      Beauty Salon $65.56$45.5643.9%
      Toothpaste $3.53$3.704.7%
      Shampoo $1.49$1.2816.4%
      Movie $15.49$12.1327.6%
      Bowling $29.33$18.0063.0%

      Groceries

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.48$5.846.2%
      Fried Chicken $1.45$1.578.0%
      Milk $4.76$4.671.9%
      Potatoes $4.99$4.931.1%
      Pizza $12.52$12.093.6%
      Beer $10.21$10.411.9%

      Health Care

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $123.17$125.682.0%
      Doctor $157.89$135.7816.3%
      Dentist $149.22$113.2931.7%
      Ibuprofen $11.39$10.656.9%
      Lipitor $384.69$468.6017.9%

      Housing

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      Home Price $1,006,200.00$184,700.00444.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $4,745.89$2,346.69102.2%
      Apartment Rent $2,305.00$949.00142.9%

      Transportation

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.43$3.460.9%
      Tire Balancing $97.39$59.9262.5%

      Utilities

      Item Brookline National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $302.72$193.9956.0%
      Phone $187.85$192.252.3%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Southfield, MA011919.2%
      Randolph, MA33,52612626.4%
      Holbrook, MA11,05113130.6%
      Lynn, MA94,20113635.5%
      Salem, MA43,35013939.2%
      Brookline, MA59,223220119.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Bartlett, TN59,2521010.6%
      Royal Oak, MI59,2561088.0%
      St. Clair Shores, MI59,184964.2%
      San Rafael, CA59,178217117.4%
      Fountainebleau, FL59,17411212.2%
      Brookline, MA59,223220119.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.