Compare towns
Buzzards Bay vs Plympton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Plympton has the most kids (21.6% 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 | Plympton | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,909Lowest |
2,935 |
3,859Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.4±5.9 36% above MA |
46.4±4.2Lowest 16% above 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% |
21.6%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Plympton and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32.3%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$126,736±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Plympton and West Brookfield 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 |
$517,800±$52kHighest 8% below MA |
$354,000±$21kLowest 37% below MA |
| Plympton 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±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and West Brookfield 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 |
$6,628Highest 11% above MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.9%±20.3 MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Plympton 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 10% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Plympton and West 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 | — | #110 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Plympton | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.