Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Upton 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
North Brookfield has the most renters (30.7% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
West Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.5).
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 | Upton | Ware | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,760 |
8,189 |
10,048Highest |
3,859Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
34% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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±$11k 24% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63 44% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,236±$271Highest 30% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Ware 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,260 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 28% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and West Brookfield 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.