Compare towns
Brookfield vs Windsor Locks vs West 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 most homeowners (87.5%).
Windsor Locks has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
West Brookfield has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Windsor Locks | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
12,579Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor Locks 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Windsor Locks 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 |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| 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 28% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,236±$271 13% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and 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% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Brookfield and Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Windsor Locks School District | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— |
| 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.