Compare towns
Ware vs North Brookfield vs Windsor Locks
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
North Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($359k median).
Windsor Locks has the most people working from home (17.7%).
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 | North Brookfield | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,048 |
4,760Lowest |
12,579Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 11% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| North Brookfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ware and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ware and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | $67,475±$15kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
$81,205±$13kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Windsor Locks and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28k 13% below U.S. |
$359,100±$32kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 26% below U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237Highest 36% above U.S. |
$4,176 34% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ware and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windsor Locks 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #270 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ware | North Brookfield | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | North Brookfield High | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
5.5Lowest |
8.9 |
| 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.