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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Brookline, MA

Population: 62,698 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

D
43/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$58,050
Total Revenue
$4.7B
Total Debt
$54.8M

Spending Breakdown

Education
55.6%$2.0B
Other
25.2%$917.9M
Utilities
8.3%$300.8M
Housing & Community Development
4.4%$162.0M
Parks & Recreation
1.4%$52.6M
Public Welfare
1.3%$47.1M
Health
1.2%$42.1M
Fire Protection
0.9%$33.3M
Highways & Roads
0.7%$24.9M
Sewerage
0.7%$24.6M
Hospitals
0.3%$11.0M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.6%$76.5M
Income Tax
0.8%$37.7M
Intergovernmental
3.0%$138.4M
Charges & Fees
6.8%$320.2M
Other
0.6%$30.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$531/person
Highways & Roads$397/person
Parks & Recreation$839/person
Education$32,272/person
Health$672/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)51/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)0/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$54.8M
Long-Term Debt$12.9M
Debt Per Capita$874
Cash & Securities$1.4M

Compare Cities

See how Brookline stacks up against another city.

vs Boston, MAvs Worcester, MAvs Springfield, MA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Massachusetts

Boston, MA

Pop. 666K

C
Total Spending
$48.1B
Per Capita
$72,299

Worcester, MA

Pop. 204K

C
Total Spending
$8.6B
Per Capita
$42,049

Springfield, MA

Pop. 155K

D
Total Spending
$10.2B
Per Capita
$65,626

Cambridge, MA

Pop. 118K

C
Total Spending
$15.4B
Per Capita
$130,737

Compare Brookline With

Boston, MA

Spending: $72,299/person · Grade: C

Worcester, MA

Spending: $42,049/person · Grade: C

Springfield, MA

Spending: $65,626/person · Grade: D

Cambridge, MA

Spending: $130,737/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Brookline, MA spends $58,050 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.6B for a population of 62,698. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (43/100).

Brookline, MA has total expenditures of $3.6B and total revenue of $4.7B. The city carries $54.8M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Brookline, MA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Brookline, MA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (43/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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