Compare towns
Brookfield vs Thomaston vs North 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 oldest population (median age 52.4).
Thomaston has the highest household income ($103k).
North Brookfield has the most renters (30.7% rent).
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 | Thomaston | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
7,492Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and North 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and North 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and North 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% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Thomaston 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 |
$103,218±$15kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Thomaston 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±$23k about the U.S. average |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
$1,037±$147Highest 27% below U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Thomaston 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. |
$5,915Highest 90% above U.S. |
$4,176Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston and North 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% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Brookfield 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Thomaston School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | Thomaston High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.