Compare towns
Brookfield vs Bourne vs East Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Bourne has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
East Brookfield has the most kids (15.3% under 18).
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 | Brookfield | Bourne | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Highest |
1,806Lowest |
2,166 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
61.2±3.5Highest 53% above MA |
52.1±6.4Lowest 30% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
6.1%±5.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| East Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
38.6%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% MA: 47.3% |
58.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±7 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
$97,847±$32kHighest 6% below MA |
$81,042±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Bourne and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$735,500±$156kHighest 31% above MA |
$381,200±$30k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
— | $1,142±$33Highest 35% below MA |
| East Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 15% below MA |
$3,835Lowest 36% below MA |
$4,430 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.6%±20.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and East Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
12.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±20.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Bourne and 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.