Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Ware vs East 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 people working from home (13.1%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
East Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.1).
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 | Ware | East Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,760 |
10,048Highest |
2,166Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
52.1±6.4Highest 30% above MA |
| East Brookfield and North Brookfield 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% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±2.6Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| East Brookfield and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
27%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$81,042±$16kHighest 22% below MA |
| East Brookfield and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32k 36% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$381,200±$30kHighest 32% below MA |
| East Brookfield 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 |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,142±$33Highest 35% below MA |
| East 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,430Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
34.2%±39.5Lowest 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
7.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
83.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.3%±3.1Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | North Brookfield | Ware | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.