Compare towns
Bellingham vs Ware vs North Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellingham has the most people working from home (18%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
North Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 45.2).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bellingham | Ware | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,325 |
10,048Highest |
4,760Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.6 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
45.2±9.4Highest 13% above MA |
| North Brookfield and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Bellingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,763±$14kHighest 7% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Bellingham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,200±$23kHighest 23% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,009±$358Highest 14% above MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 25% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.7%±25.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bellingham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 18%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Bellingham and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #232 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.