Compare towns
Cheshire vs Ware vs Windsor 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).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
Windsor has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Ware | Windsor | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,216 |
10,048Highest |
1,065Lowest |
3,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.7±4.5Highest 34% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
44.8±6.4 12% 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Windsor 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest 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±$14k 33% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$115,563±$10kHighest 11% above MA |
$81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
| Windsor and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,200±$48kLowest 52% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$389,700±$32kHighest 31% below MA |
$341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
| Windsor and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
— | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
| Ware and Brookfield 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,867 35% below MA |
$5,092Highest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.2%±24 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Windsor and Ware 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hoosac Valley Regional | Ware | — | Brookfield |
| High school in town | Hoosac Valley High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.