Compare towns

Brimfield vs Palmer Town

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brimfield has the most people working from home (13.7%).
Palmer Town has the most affordable homes ($271k 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.

MeasureBrimfieldPalmer Town
People
Population
3,705Lowest
12,381Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.4%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+2.5%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
43.7±5.3Lowest
9% above MA
47.8±5.6Highest
20% above MA
Palmer Town and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.2%±6Highest
MA: 19.4%
15.1%±3.1Lowest
MA: 19.4%
Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.3%±4.4Highest
MA: 17.9%
20.9%±4.2Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
44.7%Highest
MA: 47.3%
23.5%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.5%±1.5Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.4%±1.5Lowest
MA: 7.9%
Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$111,250±$22kHighest
7% above MA
$78,480±$8kLowest
25% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$389,100±$27kHighest
31% below MA
$271,400±$21kLowest
52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$886±$365Lowest
50% below MA
$1,075±$103Highest
39% below MA
Palmer Town and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,128Highest
14% below MA
$4,540Lowest
24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
53.2%±25.4Highest
MA: 51.8%
52.9%±10.6Lowest
MA: 51.8%
Brimfield and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.6%Lowest
MA: 10%
8.3%Highest
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%Highest
MA: 62.5%
71.5%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1988Highest
24 yrs newer than MA
1962Lowest
2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
16% above MA
31 minLowest
8% above MA
Work from home
13.7%±5.7Highest
MA: 18.6%
7.3%±2.7Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Brimfield and Palmer Town 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 #108 of 282 in MA #252 of 282 in MA
School district Brimfield Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town None in town Pathfinder Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school —
9.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.