Compare towns
Cheshire vs Upton vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Upton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,216Lowest |
8,189Highest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.5Highest 34% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.5%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,200±$48kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,014±$161Highest 42% below MA |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 50% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±24Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Hoosac Valley High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.