Compare towns
Brookfield vs Putnam vs Upton
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 oldest population (median age 52.4).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
9,292Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Upton 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% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Putnam 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% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Upton 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% |
53.5%Highest 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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Brookfield 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Brookfield 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% 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. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Putnam School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Putnam High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.