Compare towns
Cedar Crest vs Princeton vs Brimfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cedar Crest has the most expensive homes ($629k median).
Princeton has the most people working from home (29.5%).
Brimfield has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Cedar Crest | Princeton | Brimfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,730Lowest |
3,529 |
3,705Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36±7.2Lowest 10% below MA |
46.1±7Highest 15% above MA |
43.7±5.3 9% above MA |
| Princeton and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±6.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Cedar Crest and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±3.6 MA: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Brimfield and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
59.4% MA: 47.3% |
44.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
1.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Brimfield and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,721±$45kHighest 62% above MA |
$158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
$111,250±$22kLowest 7% above MA |
| Cedar Crest and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $629,400±$57kHighest 12% above MA |
$520,500±$48k 7% below MA |
$389,100±$27kLowest 31% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $897±$852Highest 49% below MA |
$886±$365Lowest 50% below MA |
| Princeton and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,644 6% below MA |
$6,633Highest 11% above MA |
$5,128Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 69.8%±46.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.2%±25.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Princeton and Brimfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest MA: 62.5% |
94.3% MA: 62.5% |
87.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
37 min 25% above MA |
34 minLowest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±8.7 MA: 18.6% |
29.5%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.7%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Princeton and Cedar Crest 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 | — | #59 of 282 in MA | #108 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Wachusett | Brimfield |
| 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.