Compare towns
Cheshire vs Hampton vs Union vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Hampton has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($342k 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 | Cheshire | Hampton | Union | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,216 |
1,647 |
944Lowest |
3,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +1.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3 32% above U.S. |
49.9±4.3Lowest 28% above U.S. |
52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$109,167±$19kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$81,250±$37k about the U.S. average |
| Hampton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
$330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$341,900±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,285±$288Highest 9% below U.S. |
— | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
$4,793 54% above U.S. |
$5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±24Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% U.S.: 65.2% |
90% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 10% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and 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 | #274 of 282 in MA | — | — | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Hampton School District | Union School District | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Hoosac Valley High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.