Compare towns
Middleton vs Douglas 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
Middleton has the most affordable homes ($312k median).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Middleton | Douglas | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595 |
9,207Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$293Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
— |
| Douglas and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,504Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,926 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Middleton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas and Middleton 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Middleton School District | Douglas | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.