What to know before you move: cost, market timing, who it fits.
If you're considering a move to Brookline, MA, the most important variables are the local housing market, the cost structure (taxes, insurance, utilities), and how well the city fits your day-to-day life. This page summarizes the housing market read; pair it with the cost of living page for the full picture.
Brookline is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with an estimated population of 63,191. It anchors the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. The median home value in Brookline is $1,262,793 as of 2026-04, down 3.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +1.3% annual growth (-3.5% from the 5-year peak). Rents in Brookline average $3,541 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.5%). The composite momentum score is 49 of 100 (Stable). Conditions are neither hot nor cold, so the local fit matters more than market timing.
Sideways market (-3.2% YoY). No urgency to time the macro trend — focus on the home and neighborhood.
Reasons people move here
- The data is the data: Brookline has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 1-criteria momentum score on this page.
- Data is sourced from public datasets (Zillow, US Census) with full citations on the methodology page.
Things to know first
- Expensive AND not growing: median home $1,262,793 with only -3.2% YoY. You're paying premium pricing for a flat trend.
- Cooling: -3.2% over the trailing year — momentum has stalled.
More about Brookline
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.