Compare towns
Brookfield vs Upton vs West Wareham vs Phillipston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Phillipston has the most homeowners (92.4%).
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 | Upton | West Wareham | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
8,189Highest |
2,257 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
48.8±1.7 22% above MA |
| West Wareham and 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3 MA: 19.4% |
17%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| West Wareham 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and West Wareham 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 22% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$94,692±$14k 9% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$372,400±$27k 34% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
— | $1,375±$849Highest 22% below MA |
| Phillipston and Brookfield 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,765 20% below MA |
$3,914Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4 MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Phillipston and West Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and West Wareham 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.