Compare towns
Ware vs Brookfield vs Sutton
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 renters (27.7% rent).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Ware | Brookfield | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048Highest |
3,460Lowest |
9,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Sutton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.9% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| 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 | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
$147,125±$25kHighest 42% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
$523,100±$47kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,190±$401Highest 32% below MA |
| Sutton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,092 15% below MA |
$6,763Highest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
5.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 minHighest 11% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #267 of 282 in MA | #109 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Brookfield | Sutton |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| 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.