Compare towns
Brookfield vs Putnam vs Sutton vs West 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
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
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 | Putnam | Sutton | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
9,292 |
9,452Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Putnam 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 |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$95,613±$12k 18% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$354,000±$21k 6% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,236±$271Highest 13% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 63% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookfield and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #105 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Putnam School District | Sutton | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.