City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Brewster, MA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Brewster - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,711
Residents
$75,481
Median income
$702,000
Median home
$2,422
Median rent (state)

Brewster - the verdict

Nationally, Brewster sits in the 57th percentile for household income and the 90th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

57th
percentile, household income
93rd
percentile, home value
91st
percentile, median rent
90th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Brewster, MA

1,711 people live in Brewster, Massachusetts - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Brewster brings in $75,481 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.3%. Typical homes in Brewster are valued around $702,000, and the median resident age is 61.4 years. Educational attainment runs 55.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 46.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Brewster reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 367.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Massachusetts at 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,422 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $330 across Massachusetts, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 89.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,711 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Massachusetts

Median Household Income

$75,481 /yr

Poverty 2.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

How does Brewster compare to other US cities?

Brewster measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 57% higher than other cities
Home value 93% pricier than other cities
Median rent 91% pricier than other cities
Safety 90% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Massachusetts alone, Brewster ranks #22 of 149 Massachusetts cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Brewster's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Massachusetts, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

57thIncome percentile
90thSafety percentile

57th percentile nationally for median household income · 90th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Brewster's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Brewster's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 52 Avg. percentile National median
Brewster's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Brewster's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$702,000 7th percentile more affordable than 7% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Brewster $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Brewster, MA Brewster, MA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Brewster, MA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Brewster, MA median $75,481/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Brewster, MA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Brewster, MA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 55.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,711
Median Income
$75,481
Median Home Value
$702,000
Median Age
61.4
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Labor force participation
46.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
55.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
367.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
122.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
245.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
1.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
10.7%
Other
8.7%

Based on 702 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Massachusetts - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$160
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$330
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Massachusetts state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Massachusetts state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Brewster sits in

Cost of Living Index
105.8
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,422/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Massachusetts

Teaticket
1,728 people
Hanscom AFB
1,745 people
Shelburne Falls
1,755 people
Bourne
1,765 people
West Falmouth
1,655 people
Essex
1,775 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Brewster's 1,711 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Zebulon, GA
1,711 people
Rock Creek, MN
1,711 people
Kalida, OH
1,711 people
Fairforest, SC
1,711 people
Berry College, GA
1,712 people
Hagerstown, IN
1,710 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Brewster's $75,481 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oak Hill, FL
$75,474 median income
Moosup, CT
$75,469 median income
Maple Lake, MN
$75,469 median income
Joliet, MT
$75,469 median income
Wyocena, WI
$75,469 median income
West Seneca, NY
$75,465 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Brewster, MA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Brewster, MA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5% White 95.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 4.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Brewster compares to nearby Massachusetts cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Brewster (this city) 1,711 $75,481
Teaticket 1,728 $85,669
Hanscom AFB 1,745 $101,194
Shelburne Falls 1,755 $52,604
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MA FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Brewster, MA?

What is the population of Brewster, MA? +

1,711 people live in Brewster, MA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Brewster, MA? +

The median household income in Brewster is $75,481 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Brewster? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Brewster; the closest available measure is the Massachusetts state average, a cost of living index of 105.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Massachusetts vary by metro area.

Is Brewster, MA safe? +

Brewster has a total crime rate of 367.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Brewster, MA? +

The median home value in Brewster is $702,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.