Compare towns
Brimfield vs Ware vs Warwick vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Brimfield | Ware | Warwick | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,705 |
10,048Highest |
776Lowest |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±5.3 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Warwick and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.4 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$22k 7% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
$132,256±$33kHighest 27% above MA |
| Mendon and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,100±$27k 31% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $886±$365Lowest 50% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,367±$163 22% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,128 14% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$7,213Highest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.2%±25.4 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1985 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.7%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick and Mendon 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brimfield | Ware | Warwick | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.