Compare towns
Brookfield vs Mendon vs Upton vs West 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 affordable homes ($342k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
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 | Mendon | Upton | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
6,325 |
8,189Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon 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 22% below MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton 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 |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,260Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and West 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.