Brookline and Newton Make Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live Ranking

Brookline Photo by Axel Drainville on Flickr

Newton and Brookline are two of the “Best Places to Live in America” according to Money magazine. Surprised? We’re not.

Money’s latest ranking of the “50 best small cities in the country” only reaffirms what we already know: that rich people can enjoy living in Brookline and Newton.

The magazine says they looked at towns with populations between 50,000 and 300,000, started with a pool of 781 cities from across the U.S., and then sent reporters to visit the top 35.

On the main list of the top 50, Newton ranks No. 15, with a median family income of $150,821, median home price of $740,000, and “13 villages loaded with classic New England charm.”

Money points out:

Heartbreak Hill, one of the most dastardly difficult legs of the [Boston Marathon], is located near City Hall. But the bigger heartbreak for most people is Newton’s lack of affordable housing.

Brookline, meanwhile, comes in at No. 21. The median family income is $156,042 while the median home price is $615,000. Don’t worry, Brookline, you already have one of the most expensive properties listed in Greater Boston, and Tom and Gisele’s new place will be up and running before you know it.

According to Money:

A swanky and hip suburb of Boston, Brookline is filled with cool boutiques and ethnic restaurants alongside miles of green space.

What’s more interesting about Money’s ranking is that the magazine also published a few secondary lists, on which Brookline, Newton, Boston, and Somerville appear.

The funniest takeaway: Newton and Brookline are two of the “Best Places to Be Rich and Single.” It’s meant as a compliment, but comes off quite sad. Money even includes this parenthetical:

(Note: We make no promises about youth or attractiveness.)

In other words, the best place to be wealthy and alone in America is Brookline, Massachusetts. Um, congrats?

Both Brookline and Newton rank on the list of “Top Earning Towns” as well, and Brookline also appears on the list “Where You Wish You’d Bought.” Money even gives a shoutout to Regal Beagle in Brookline, where chef Stacy Cogswell is a contestant on the upcoming season of Top Chef: Boston.

No local spots appear on the lists for “Best Places to Find a New Job” or “Youngest Places,” but Somerville does appear as No. 14 on the ranking for “Best Places to Walk or Bike.” Surprised? We’re not.

And finally, Boston makes an appearance on the “Best Big-City Bargains” list, where the pool is shifted to larger-population cities. Money calls out Jeffries Point in Eastie, where “a working-class reputation belies the area’s growing amenities.”