Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Everett vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has the shortest commute (32 min average).
Everett has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
West Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($354k 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 | Buzzards Bay | Everett | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
50,045Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
35.2±1.5Lowest 12% below MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6% MA: 47.3% |
24.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$85,218±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
$95,613±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$354,000±$21kLowest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$2,076±$69Highest 18% above MA |
$1,236±$271Lowest 30% below MA |
| Everett and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880Highest 19% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Everett and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7% MA: 62.5% |
37.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 10% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield and Buzzards Bay 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 | — | #264 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Everett | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | Everett High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| 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.