Is West Brookfield, MA a Good Place to Live?
West Brookfield is a small town of 1,532 in Massachusetts, with a median household income of $53,849 and a 13.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.
Strengths: West Brookfield stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether West Brookfield is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West Brookfield city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 100.6West Brookfield's overall cost of living index is 100.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Brookfield costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.
| Metric | West Brookfield, MA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $227,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,066 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $53,849 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWest Brookfield's violent crime rate is 127.4 per 100,000 residents — 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
West Brookfield is served primarily by Quaboag Regional. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | West Brookfield, MA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Quaboag Regional | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West Brookfield sees average highs of 34.2°F in January and 80.5°F in July, with 48.6 inches of annual precipitation and 43.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | West Brookfield, MA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 34.2°F |
| Average High — July | 80.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | West Brookfield, MA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,532 | — |
| Median Age | 54.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 13.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 31.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 99.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 32.5% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in West Brookfield
West Brookfield, MA is covered by 1 ZIP code: