Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dalton vs North 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 homeowners (87.5%).
Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
North Brookfield has the youngest population (median age 45.2).
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 | Dalton | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
6,256Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
45.2±9.4Lowest 13% above MA |
| Brookfield and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Dalton and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Dalton 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% |
44.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and North 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±$37kHighest 22% below MA |
$79,438±$8k 24% below MA |
$79,285±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
| Brookfield and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$359,100±$32kHighest 36% below MA |
| North Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Highest 42% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$981±$63 44% below MA |
| Brookfield and North 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 |
$4,276 29% below MA |
$4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±15.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Brookfield and 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% |
7.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| North Brookfield and Dalton 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Central Berkshire | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Wahconah Regional High | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.