Compare towns
Webster vs Spencer vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
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 | Webster | Spencer | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
12,008 |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.9±6.8Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
| Spencer and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$382,000±$22kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Spencer and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
| Webster and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,387 41% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Spencer and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
63% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer and Brooklyn 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Webster | Spencer-E Brookfield | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | David Prouty High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.