What's the Difference Between Brookline and Newton?
How do you decide whether to live in Brookline or Newton? Start by checking out the table below to understand some of the differences.
| Brookline | Newton | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,698 | 88,415 |
| Total Area | 6.8 Sq. Miles | 18.2 Sq. Miles |
| Real Estate tax Rate | $9.87 per $1,000 | $9.80 per $1,000 |
| Residential Tax Exemption | Up to $346,536 | $0 |
| Single Family Homes | 4, 585 | 16,928 |
| Condominiums | 10,380 | 5,775 |
| 2 & 3 Family Homes | 1,125 | 2,781 |
| Avg. Assessed Single | $2,781,554 | $1,664,692 |
| Avg. Assessed Condo | $960,794 | $886,759 |
| Avg. Assessed 2 Family | $2,222,625 | $1,222,007 |
| Avg. Assessed 3 Family | $2,365,014 | $1,390,557 |
| Number of Streets | 409 | 1,537 |
| Eligible Senior Water/Sewer Tax Exemption | 50% | 30% |
| Distance from Boston | On Border | 7 Miles From Downtown |
| MBTA Green Line | C & D Line | D Line |
| County | Norfolk | Middlesex |
| Community Type | Town | City |
| Form of Government | Town Meeting | Mayor-Council |
| Elementary Schools | 8 | 15 |
| Middle Schools | 0 | 4 |
| High Schools | 1 | 2 |
| Lakes | 0 | 1 |
| Off-Leash Dog Parks | 14 | 7 |
| Golf Courses | 2 | 3 |
| Garbage Collection | Public | Public |
| Overnight Street Parking Permitted | No | Yes (April - November) |
Despite the differences, the fact is the neighboring communities are quite similar. Both are amazing places to live. Both are affluent suburbs of Boston with excellent public schools. Both are accessible by public transportation, and both have many beautiful homes.
Newton consists of 13 villages, all of which have some shops and restaurants, and some of which are quite vibrant and resemble the larger city that Newton is. By contrast Brookline has between 10-15 neighborhoods depending on who you talk to, and its restaurant and shopping scene is mostly confined to seven neighborhoods.
Each community offers different types of areas to live in, some with easy access to public transportation, shops and parks, and some areas that offer larger lots and quieter neighborhoods where owning a car is a must.
Other commonalities include Route 9 and Beacon Street, a main road that runs through the center of both communities. There’s also Chestnut Hill, a beautiful village located partially in Brookline, Newton and Boston.
Brookline has a Pierce elementary school (named for John Pierce), and Newton has Peirce elementary school (named for Cyrus Peirce).
In April, The Boston Marathon runs through both communities.
