Compare towns
Brookfield vs Upton vs Wakefield
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k 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 | Upton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Wakefield 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Upton 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Upton 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.