Compare towns
Brookfield vs Preston vs East Brookfield
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%).
Preston has the highest household income ($117k).
East Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($381k 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 | Preston | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
4,821Highest |
2,166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
46.2±7Lowest 19% above U.S. |
52.1±6.4 34% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Preston and East Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Preston 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 |
$116,648±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$81,042±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Preston 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±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$381,200±$30kHighest 15% above U.S. |
| East Brookfield and Preston 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. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$1,142±$33 19% below U.S. |
| Preston and East Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
$4,430Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Preston 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Preston 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Preston School District | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.