Compare towns
Brookfield vs Exeter vs Phillipston vs Sheffield
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Phillipston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 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 | Exeter | Phillipston | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
7,195Highest |
1,895Lowest |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
37.7±5.9Lowest 3% below U.S. |
48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
48.2±8 24% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Phillipston 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% |
19.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
13.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Sheffield 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% |
46.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±4.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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 |
$111,250±$30kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$94,692±$14k 17% above U.S. |
$92,120±$31k 14% above U.S. |
| Exeter 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 |
$509,200±$43kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$372,400±$27k 12% above U.S. |
$409,400±$32k 23% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,317±$307 7% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849 about the U.S. average |
$1,837±$1kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Sheffield and Phillipston 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. |
$5,881Highest 89% above U.S. |
$3,914Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,520 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
91%±26.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
22 min 15% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #14 of 38 in RI | — | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Exeter-West Greenwich | — | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| 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.