Compare towns
New Braintree vs Ware vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Braintree has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | New Braintree | Ware | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 973Lowest |
10,048Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| New Braintree and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,236±$271 30% below MA |
| New Braintree and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,508Highest 8% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Brookfield 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 | — | #267 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.