Compare towns
Ware vs Florida 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
Ware has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Florida has the most homeowners (91.3%).
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Ware | Florida | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Highest |
668Lowest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
| West Brookfield and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
13%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Brookfield and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.3% MA: 47.3% |
34%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Florida and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
$95,613±$12kHighest 8% below MA |
| West Brookfield and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
$354,000±$21kHighest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% 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 | $3,408 43% below MA |
$1,894Lowest 68% below MA |
$4,260Highest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% below MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
42 minHighest 44% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5 MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | — | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Florida | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.