Compare towns
Brookfield vs Reading vs Wakefield vs Hampden
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).
Reading has the highest household income ($166k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Hampden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Reading | Wakefield | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
25,612 |
27,793Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$104,536±$16k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$358,200±$16k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,958±$102 11% above MA |
$1,132±$107 36% below MA |
| Reading and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,181 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and Wakefield 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Wakefield 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Reading | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.