Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Barre vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Brookfield has the most people working from home (13.1%).
Barre has the highest household income ($108k).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | North Brookfield | Barre | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,760Lowest |
5,572 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
| North Brookfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,285±$11k 24% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Barre and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
$1,043±$109Highest 41% below MA |
| Ware and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| North 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 | #270 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Quabbin | Ware |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Quabbin Regional High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
12.9Highest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.