Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Woonsocket vs Ware vs Brookfield
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 people working from home (13.1%).
Woonsocket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
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 | Woonsocket | Ware | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,760 |
43,521Highest |
10,048 |
3,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4 16% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Ware 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Woonsocket 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 about the U.S. average |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$67,475±$15k 16% below U.S. |
$81,250±$37kHighest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15k 7% below U.S. |
$289,700±$28kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$341,900±$23k about the U.S. average |
| North Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$1,014±$161 28% below U.S. |
| Woonsocket 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. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,237 36% above U.S. |
$5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±11.7 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±5.5 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #267 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Ware | Brookfield |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Woonsocket High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
15.2Highest |
11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.