Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Putnam vs Ware
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($359k median).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Ware has the most homeowners (72.3%).
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 | Putnam | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,760Lowest |
9,292 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,285±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$70,561±$7k 13% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,176 34% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #128 of 149 in CT | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Putnam School District | Ware |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Putnam High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
9.5 |
11.1Highest |
| 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.