Compare towns
Brookfield vs Ware vs West 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 kids (19.1% under 18).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Brookfield 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest 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±$37k 22% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,613±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| West Brookfield 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 39% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$354,000±$21kHighest 37% below MA |
| West 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 |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,236±$271Highest 30% below MA |
| West 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield 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 | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| 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 |
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.