Compare towns
Brookfield vs Townsend vs Middleton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Middleton has the most affordable homes ($312k 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 | Townsend | Middleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,595 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Middleton 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% |
18.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4%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% |
3.2%±1.9Lowest 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±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$101,696±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Middleton 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. |
$312,300±$27kLowest 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±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,500±$293Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Middleton and Townsend 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. |
$5,504Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middleton and Brookfield 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 | Middleton School District |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| 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.