Compare towns
Brookfield vs Hampden vs Woonsocket
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 people working from home (12%).
Hampden has the highest household income ($105k).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Hampden | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
4,946 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
50.9±3.3 31% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
14%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Woonsocket 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 about the U.S. average |
$104,536±$16kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Hampden and 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 about the U.S. average |
$358,200±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,132±$107 20% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket and Hampden 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. |
$6,181Highest 98% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookfield and Woonsocket 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% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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 | #199 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Brookfield | Hampden-Wilbraham | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 15.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.