Compare towns
West Brookfield vs Ware vs New Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
New Braintree has the most expensive homes ($409k median).
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 | West Brookfield | Ware | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,859 |
10,048Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.5±3.2Highest 46% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
47.8±4.6 20% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Braintree and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.9%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,613±$12k 8% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$99,500±$8kHighest 4% below MA |
| New Braintree and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $354,000±$21k 37% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$408,800±$27kHighest 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$271 30% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,484±$316Highest 16% below MA |
| New Braintree and West Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,260 29% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.3%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.8% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 44% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
37 min 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±15Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest 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 | #162 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Quaboag Regional | Ware | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.