Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Lancaster vs Brookfield vs Sheffield
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Brookfield | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
8,606Highest |
3,460 |
3,330 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
48.2±8 21% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield 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% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
13.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
37.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±4.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12k 9% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$92,120±$31k 11% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,500±$28k 19% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$409,400±$32k 27% below MA |
| Lancaster and Buzzards Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$601 16% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,837±$1k 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Sheffield 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
$4,520 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
21 minLowest 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA | #250 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Brookfield | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Mt Everett Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 7.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.