Compare towns
Wakefield vs Upton 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
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Brookfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Wakefield | Upton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
8,189Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| Wakefield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,926 90% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
— |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Wakefield 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 | #118 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Wakefield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.