Compare towns
Brookfield vs Townsend vs Lyman
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 people working from home (13.7%).
Townsend has the most kids (21% under 18).
Lyman has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Townsend | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567 |
9,100Highest |
464Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7 49% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
60.8±6.5Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.6%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyman and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31k about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$71,042±$17kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$311,100±$66kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,147±$81Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926 90% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,981Lowest 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyman and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Townsend 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.