Compare towns
Brookfield vs Gardner 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%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
North Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($359k 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 | Gardner | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
21,148Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
| Brookfield and North 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% |
18.3%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner 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% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Gardner 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 |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
| Brookfield and North Brookfield 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 |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% 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±$161 42% below MA |
$1,109±$51Highest 37% below MA |
$981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
| Gardner and 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 |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,176 30% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
12.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
69.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and North 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 | #273 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Gardner | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
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.