Compare towns
Brookfield vs Douglas vs Webster 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).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
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 | Douglas | Webster | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
9,207 |
17,748Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Webster 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% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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% |
41.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Webster 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 |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$470,600±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$358,200±$16k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,132±$107 36% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster 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 |
$6,338Highest 6% above MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,181 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Douglas | Webster | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.