Compare towns
Brookfield vs Middlefield vs Phillipston
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 renters (12.5% rent).
Middlefield has the most people working from home (13.2%).
Phillipston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Middlefield | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Highest |
352Lowest |
1,895 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-26.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
56.9±3.7Highest 42% above MA |
48.8±1.7Lowest 22% above MA |
| Middlefield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±9.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Phillipston and Brookfield 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% |
28.7%±8.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Middlefield 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% MA: 47.3% |
31.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
25.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.8%±4.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Phillipston 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 |
$103,750±$23kHighest about the MA average |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Middlefield 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±$23k 39% below MA |
$332,800±$48kLowest 41% below MA |
$372,400±$27kHighest 34% below MA |
| Phillipston 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 42% below MA |
$2,625±$1kHighest 49% above MA |
$1,375±$849 22% below MA |
| Middlefield and Phillipston 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 |
$4,926 18% below MA |
$3,914Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
12.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
92.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
13.2%±9.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Middlefield 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 | — | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.