Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Ware vs Warwick vs Barre
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).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Warwick has the most people working from home (22.4%).
Barre has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Warwick | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,760 |
10,048Highest |
776Lowest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
0%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
51.4±7.3Highest 29% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Warwick 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% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4 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% |
23.2%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Warwick 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% |
40.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$93,333±$22k 10% below MA |
$107,727±$13kHighest 4% above MA |
| Barre and Warwick 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 |
$349,400±$34k 38% below MA |
$394,300±$55kHighest 30% 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 |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,367±$163Highest 22% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
$5,163Highest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±57.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 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% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 28% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
40 minHighest 37% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Warwick and North 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Ware | Warwick | Quabbin |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
11.1 |
— | 12.9Highest |
| 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.