Compare towns
Whately vs Westminster 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
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
New Braintree has the most affordable 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 | Whately | Westminster | New Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,499 |
8,374Highest |
973Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
47.8±4.6Lowest 20% above MA |
| Whately and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
25.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
41.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| New Braintree and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$106,331±$22k about the MA average |
$99,500±$8kLowest 4% below MA |
| Whately and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$422,000±$36k 25% below MA |
$408,800±$27kLowest 27% below MA |
| Whately and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
$1,484±$316 16% below MA |
| Westminster and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,027 16% below MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
$5,508Highest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±51.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and New Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
27 min 7% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
7.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Westminster 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Whately | Ashburnham-Westminster | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6 |
— |
| 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.