Compare towns
Brookfield vs Worcester vs Hampden
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 affordable homes ($342k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Hampden has the highest household income ($105k).
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 | Worcester | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
207,055Highest |
4,946 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
50.9±3.3 27% above MA |
| Brookfield and Hampden 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$104,536±$16kHighest about the MA average |
| Hampden 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±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$358,200±$16k 36% below MA |
| Worcester and Hampden 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 |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,132±$107 36% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,181Highest 3% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.9%±42.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
9.9%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Brookfield and Worcester 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #199 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Hampden-Wilbraham |
| High school in town | None in town | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.