Compare towns
Brookfield vs Buzzards Bay vs Suffield vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Buzzards Bay has the most renters (24.3% rent).
Suffield has the highest household income ($119k).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Suffield | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
2,909 |
15,702Highest |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
54.4±5.9Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Phillipston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Buzzards Bay 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest about the U.S. average |
$94,388±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$454,500±$28kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
| Buzzards Bay and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,484±$601Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
| Buzzards Bay and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 63% above U.S. |
$3,405Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$6,456Highest 107% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Suffield and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #57 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Suffield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Suffield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.