Brooklin was located primarily in a rural area about two decades ago, but it is urbanising, with high population growth and infrastructure development.

The community itself grew after 1840, when brothers John & Robert Campbell built a flour mill on Lynde Creek.

[citation needed] Prominent people from Brooklin include John Dryden (1840–1909), long-serving agriculture minister of the Province of Ontario.

Aside from the farms that surround the town, Brooklin is largely a bedroom community and many residents commute to other parts of the Greater Toronto Area for employment.

[citation needed] Hockey is also pretty popular, with a lot of AA and AAA players for the Whitby Wildcats living here.

Three National Hockey League players grew up in Brooklin; Matthew Poitras, Ryan Winterton, and Pete Vipond.

A post office, library, fire hall, community centre, and ice arena are provided to the citizens by the municipal government.

The Tragically Hip filmed the music video for their famous song "Ahead By a Century" on a farm in Brooklin in 1996.