Compare towns
Brookfield vs Buzzards Bay vs Upton vs Hampden
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).
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Hampden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Upton | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
2,909Lowest |
8,189Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 22% below MA |
$94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$358,200±$16k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,132±$107 36% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,181 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.