Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Springfield 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 expensive homes ($359k median).
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ware has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | North Brookfield | Springfield | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,760Lowest |
154,749Highest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4Highest 13% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±5 MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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 MA: 47.3% |
20.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,285±$11kHighest 24% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32kHighest 36% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63Lowest 44% below MA |
$1,144±$55Highest 35% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Springfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,176 30% below MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% below MA |
$4,237Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3% MA: 62.5% |
49.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1960Highest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest 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 | #276 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Springfield | Ware |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Springfield Central High | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
12.2Highest |
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.