Commercial Real Estate Market in Brookline, MA
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
136 active listings and 804 off-market properties in Brookline, MA. Commercial property asks $571/SF to buy and $60.54/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Brookline, MA spans 3.9 square miles in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Brookline, MA runs 19.9% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Brookline, MA runs 6% across the Northeast region in 2025, little changed from 6% in 2019. Down from a 2020 peak of 7.1%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Brookline, MA runs 7.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 5.4% in 2019. Nearly 2.4x the 2021 low of 3.2%.
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Multifamily
Multifamily space in Brookline, MA asks $386/SF to buy. Vacancy runs 5.6% across the Northeast region in 2025, up from 4% in 2022.
Average Sale Price $/SF
Listings
Vacancy Rate % in Northeast region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 81.8%
- Commercial 5%
- Industrial 0.6%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Single Family
Single Family
Single Family
Single Family
Two Family And Attached Single Family
Brookline, MA zones 4,368 acres across 32 districts. Commercial zoning covers 5% of zoned land, residential 81.8% and industrial 0.6%. The largest single district is Single Family at 23.7%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 5.6% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Single Family (S-10)
Zone CRM-II refers to the parcel zoned as S-10 as of August 26, 2025. c. Multifamily shall mean four or more Dwelling Units per Lot. d. For the purposes of this section, Adaptive Reuse shall be defined as all of the following: i. Exterior roof additions may be allowed only to increase the height of the building to the maximum allowed under this Section. ii.…
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Brookline, MA has 54,456 residents in 25,314 households. Density runs 13,980 people per square mile. Median household income here is $135,104 and median gross rent $2,766 a month.
54,456
Population
25,314
Households
2.2
Avg Household Size
35
Median Age
85%
College-Educated
97%
High-School Grad
3.9 sq mi
ZIP Area
13,980
Density / Sq Mi
$135,104
Median Household Income
$75,009
Median Earnings
$2,766
Median Rent
$1,191,475
Median Home Value
Tools
Lease vs Buy Breakeven
At $60.54/SF/Yr lease vs $571/SF buy → buying wins if held > 1.2 years.
At a 10.6% gross asking yield the payback reads short relative to leasing. Assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% a year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost, 2% closing plus 5% selling costs, and a 3% annual rent escalator.
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Newton | — | $33.99 |
| Cambridge | — | $42.57 |
| Needham | — | $28.27 |
| Dedham | — | — |
Commercial property in Brookline, MA asks $571/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Brookline?
Commercial property in Brookline, MA asks an average of $571 per square foot. The 4 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $622/SF. Multifamily carries the highest asking price at $386/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Brookline?
Asking lease rates in Brookline, MA average $60.54 per square foot per year.
Is it cheaper to lease or buy commercial space in Brookline?
Buying beats leasing in Brookline, MA if the property is held longer than 1.2 years, comparing $60.54/SF/Yr asking rent with $571/SF asking price. The model assumes 30% down at 6.5% fixed, 2% of value per year in taxes and upkeep, 3% appreciation, 5% opportunity cost on the cash and a 3% annual rent escalator.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Brookline?
Brookline, MA zones 4,368 acres across 32 districts, of which 5% is commercial and 0.6% industrial. The largest single district is Single Family at 23.7% of zoned land. Residential zoning covers 81.8% and open space 0%.
Where does Realmo's Brookline market data come from?
Realmo compiles Brookline, MA figures from 6 recent recorded sales, 63 active sale listings, 73 active lease listings, 804 tracked off-market properties, the current Brookline zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 63 active for-sale and 73 active for-lease listings in Brookline, MA. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 4,368 zoned acres across 32 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at Northeast region level, retail vacancy is reported at Northeast region level and industrial vacancy is reported at Northeast region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
