Compare towns
Brookfield vs Ware 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 most homeowners (87.5%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
East Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($381k median).
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 | Ware | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
6,369 |
10,048Highest |
2,166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
52.1±6.4 30% above MA |
| Brookfield and East 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and East 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% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
27% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±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 |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$81,042±$16k 22% 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 |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$381,200±$30kHighest 32% 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 |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,142±$33Highest 35% 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,430 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Ware 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Ware and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Ware | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.