What does this measure?
The median home value divided by the median household income, adjusted for inflation.
Why is this important?
The ratio provides a rough estimate of the affordability of homes in a community. A ratio less than 2 or 3 is generally considered affordable.
How is Brookline doing?
In 2017-21, homes were not generally very affordable in Brookline, with an affordability ratio of 8.6. This was much higher than the state (4.8) and the nation (3.5). Housing affordability in Brookline rose since 2000, when the ratio was 5.9.
Brookline was the least affordable municipality followed by Cambridge (7.9), Everett (6.7), Newton (6.0), and Arlington (5.8).
Notes about the data
Multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.
| 2000 | 2007-11 | 2012-16 | 2017-21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookline | 5.9 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 8.6 |
| Arlington, Middlesex County | 4.4 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.8 |
| Cambridge, Middlesex County | 6.9 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.9 |
| Everett, Middlesex County | 4.4 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 6.7 |
| Newton, Middlesex County | 4.8 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.0 |
| Norfolk County | 3.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Essex County | 4.0 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| Middlesex County | 4.0 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 5.1 |
| Massachusetts | 3.6 | 5.2 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
Notes: Ratio of median home value to median household income. Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Overall Housing Cost Burden |
-1
Decreasing
|
| Median Home Value |
0
Maintaining
|
| Median Home Value by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Cost of Homeownership |
1
Increasing
|
| Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Cost of Renting |
1
Increasing
|
| Cost of Rent by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Households Receiving SNAP |
1
Increasing
|
| Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity |
-1
Decreasing
|
| Food Insecurity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Households Without Vehicles |
1
Increasing
|
| Means of Transportation to Work by Race/Ethnicity |
0
Maintaining
|
| Protected Land | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Percent of Days with Good Air Quality | 10 Not Applicable* |
