Compare towns
Brookfield vs Ware vs East Brookfield
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 highest household income ($81k).
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
East Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.2).
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 | Ware | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
6,369Highest |
1,445Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+1.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
58.2±11.1Highest 46% above MA |
| East Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.9%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.8%±6.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| East Brookfield 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kHighest 22% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$69,837±$36k 33% below MA |
| Brookfield and East 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 39% below MA |
$253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$364,700±$32kHighest 35% below MA |
| East 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±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$1,134±$22Highest 36% below MA |
| East Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 15% below MA |
$3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,371 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.4%±38.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
77.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
5.6%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.