Compare towns
Brookfield vs Dedham 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).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
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 | Dedham | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
25,237Highest |
2,166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
44.6±1.6Lowest 12% above MA |
52.1±6.4 30% above MA |
| Brookfield and East Brookfield 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% |
18.6%±1.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Dedham and East 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% |
21.9%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and East 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% |
55%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Dedham 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 |
$128,955±$10kHighest 24% above MA |
$81,042±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$661,800±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$381,200±$30k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,142±$33 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$7,918Highest 32% above MA |
$4,430Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10Highest MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dedham 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% |
5.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Dedham | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.