Compare towns
Brookfield vs Barre vs Roxbury
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 (27.3%).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
Roxbury has the most kids (30.6% under 18).
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 | Barre | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
5,572Highest |
942Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.8±8.5 13% above U.S. |
35.6±11.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±5.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$107,727±$13kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$73,214±$22kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$394,300±$55kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$242,600±$55kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,030±$713Highest 27% below U.S. |
$950±$495Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,284Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.2%±27.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barre and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #134 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Quabbin | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.9 |
— |
| 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.