Compare towns
Brookfield vs Needham vs East 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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Needham | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
32,459Highest |
2,166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
52.1±6.4 30% above MA |
| Brookfield and East 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and East 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Needham 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 22% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$81,042±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$381,200±$30k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,142±$33 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,430Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham and Brookfield 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Needham | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.