Rank
22
A
Brookline
9 schools · 1 high school · 8 elementary schools · Brookline
Brookline is an affluent suburb immediately west of Boston, known for its tree-lined streets, prestigious cultural institutions, and strong commitment to public education. With an average single-family assessed value exceeding $2.5 million, Brookline is among the wealthiest towns in Massachusetts—and the investment in schools is evident, as Brookline High ranks #10 in the state. The district enrolls students across eight elementary schools and one high school, with a 96.5% graduation rate and consistently strong standardized test performance. Home to The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Brookline's historic connection as Frederick Law Olmsted's residence, the town blends suburban character with cosmopolitan amenities and excellent schools.
Avg MCAS ELA
68.6%
#40 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
71%
#27 of 326
Avg SAT
1,301
#5 of 290
Attendance
95%
#87 of 328
Graduation Rate
96.5%
#107 of 288
AP Pass Rate
94.1%
#15 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$27,765
#41 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$122,329
#11 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 66% | 68% | — | 508 | 485 |
| Grade 4 | 66% | 66% | — | 508 | 513 |
| Grade 5 | 64% | 66% | 70% | 508 | 493 |
| Grade 6 | 71% | 72% | — | 513 | 476 |
| Grade 7 | 75% | 79% | — | 517 | 501 |
| Grade 8 | 75% | 75% | 66% | 515 | 452 |
| Grade 10 | 83% | 84% | 86% | 521 | 547 |
| HS Science | — | — | — | — | — |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 47.4%
Asian: 22.5%
Hispanic: 12.5%
Black: 6.1%
Multi-Race: 11.3%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 49.5%Male: 50.2%Non-binary: 0.4%
High Schools in Brookline
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
10
A+
Brookline High
SAT
1,301
ELA
83%
Math
84%
Grad
96.5%
10
A+
Brookline High
1,301
83%
84%
94.1%
96.5%
Elementary Schools in Brookline
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
28
A
William H Lincoln
ELA
77%
Math
79%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
16
28
A
William H Lincoln
77%
79%
94.5%
16
37
A
John D Runkle
ELA
76%
Math
77%
Attend.
94.8%
Class
17
37
A
John D Runkle
76%
77%
94.8%
17
85
A-
Lawrence
ELA
73%
Math
75%
Attend.
95.4%
Class
17
85
A-
Lawrence
73%
75%
95.4%
17
117
A-
Edith C Baker
ELA
66%
Math
66%
Attend.
95.1%
Class
19
117
A-
Edith C Baker
66%
66%
95.1%
19
118
A-
Roland Hayes
ELA
62%
Math
72%
Attend.
94.5%
Class
17
118
A-
Roland Hayes
62%
72%
94.5%
17
188
B+
Florida Ruffin Ridley School
ELA
58%
Math
68%
Attend.
93.9%
Class
19
188
B+
Florida Ruffin Ridley School
58%
68%
93.9%
19
218
B+
Michael Driscoll
ELA
66%
Math
59%
Attend.
94%
Class
18
218
B+
Michael Driscoll
66%
59%
94%
18
269
B
Pierce
ELA
56%
Math
59%
Attend.
95.8%
Class
17
269
B
Pierce
56%
59%
95.8%
17
District Operations
Attendance
#87 of 328Attendance Rate95%
Avg Days Absent9
Chronically Absent (10%+)10.8%
Chronically Absent (20%+)1.8%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#41 of 325In-District Per Pupil$26,683
Total Per Pupil$27,765
Total FTE Students7,120
Teacher Salaries
#11 of 325Average Salary$122,329
Teacher FTE Count582
Salary vs. Town Income1.2x(near town avg)
Teacher salary is 1.2x the town's per capita income ($104,506). Teachers earn close to the community average. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#129 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners12.7%
Students w/ Disabilities18.3%
Total Students7,082
Staffing & Retention
#169 of 327Teacher Retention87.4%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers625
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Brookline
Avg Assessed Value
$2,562,186
#2 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$26,237
Income Per Capita
$104,506
#22 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#2
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.02%
Tax as % of Income25.11%(high burden)
Bond RatingAAA(highest)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$314.3M+1.21% levy growth(typical)
Residential$245.8M
Commercial/Industrial$68.6M
Residential Share68.11%(typical)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.7% (2.5% base + 1.21% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (68.11%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 6,287(80.7%)
Charter: 5(0.1%)
Private: 1,421(18.2%)
Home School: 44(0.6%)
Total: 7,795