Compare towns
Brookfield vs Gardner vs West Wareham
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 highest household income ($81k).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
West Wareham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | West Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
21,148Highest |
2,257Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
| West Wareham and 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% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Gardner and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham and 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
23.8% MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and West Wareham 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±$8k 35% below MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
| Brookfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kHighest 39% below MA |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
| Brookfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,109±$51Highest 37% 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 |
$4,765 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham 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% MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Wareham and Gardner 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 | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.