Compare towns
Brookfield vs Needham vs Sturbridge
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 the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
32,459Highest |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
47.2±2.6 18% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest 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±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$136,759±$15k 32% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$425,800±$18k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,520 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Needham | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
7.7Lowest |
| 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.