Compare towns
Bernardston vs Chaplin vs East Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Chaplin has the most people working from home (18.1%).
East Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($381k median).
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 | Bernardston | Chaplin | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,164 |
2,070Lowest |
2,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2 26% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8Lowest 12% above U.S. |
52.1±6.4Highest 34% above U.S. |
| East Brookfield and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bernardston and Chaplin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| East Brookfield and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
27% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10k about the U.S. average |
$97,846±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$81,042±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Chaplin and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15k about the U.S. average |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$381,200±$30kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553 9% below U.S. |
$1,473±$275Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,142±$33Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Chaplin and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516 45% above U.S. |
$4,524Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,430Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±39.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bernardston and East Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chaplin and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Pioneer Valley | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.