Compare towns
Brookfield vs Sturbridge vs Westminster
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).
Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Sturbridge | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
9,960Highest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
47.2±2.6Lowest 18% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Brookfield and Westminster 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% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Westminster 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% |
49.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Sturbridge 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 |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
| Sturbridge and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
| Sturbridge and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,193±$398 32% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$6,520Highest 9% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster 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% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sturbridge and Westminster 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 | #89 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7Lowest |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.