Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
North Brookfield is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C− overall, 253rd of 282 graded towns in Massachusetts, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 55% of the country. Its lowest everyday mark is in schools: its schools rank behind 84% of the state's. A typical home there costs about $392K, 4.1 years of the Worcester metro’s $96K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 2 places on the National Register. North Brookfield’s average trip to work is 37 minutes, against 30 minutes in Massachusetts’ towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. On cost of living, just 12 of Massachusetts’ 324 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 82% of U.S. towns.
Where North Brookfield beats most towns.
Census counts: 1,939 in 1850, 4,735 in 2020. The archive holds 22 old photos and papers going back to 1860 and 7 maps from 1887 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far North Brookfield is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around North Brookfield. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
14 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
28 mi National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
39 mi LakeWalden Pond
32 mi Theme parkSix Flags New England
11 mi MuseumOld Sturbridge VillageLake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · Springfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Walden Pond: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Six Flags New England: Canadaolympic989, Public domain · Old Sturbridge Village: Wgmleslie at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
Who provides power, water and the rest in North Brookfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in North Brookfield.
North Brookfield is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Massachusetts; it also has commutes longer than most of Massachusetts.
Its public schools are run by the North Brookfield school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Brookfield ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 240 | C+ |
| North Brookfield HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 157 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation
North Brookfield’s median rent is $981 a month. The typical North Brookfield home is worth about $392,000, up 1.4% in a year, 40% below the Massachusetts typical home. 69% of households own their home in North Brookfield.
| North Brookfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $981 a month | $1,683 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 79% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The average commute for its 2,520 working residents takes 37.2 minutes, against 29.1 across Massachusetts.
Most working residents leave North Brookfield for work: only 10% work in town. 13% of North Brookfield residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, North Brookfield has added 40 jobs, to 813 in 2023.
| North Brookfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $79,000 | $120,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 13% | 18% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
4.5 miles of trail in 9 parks and preserves. The trail density in North Brookfield is 0.2 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Five Mile River Access, at 217 acres.
| North Brookfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 16% | 19% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Horse Pond | 0.8 mi | 87 |
| 2. Five Mile River Access | — | 217 |
| 3. Doane Pond | 0.2 mi | 93 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
North Brookfield has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 16° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
North Brookfield's reported crime rate is well below Massachusetts's. 12 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| North Brookfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 2005, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in North Brookfield.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 89% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar.
North Brookfield beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
| North Brookfield | Massachusetts towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| What stands out | North Brookfield | MA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.8% | 11.9% |
| More smokers | 14.6% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
7 within 15 miles of the center of North Brookfield
About 5 of every 100 North Brookfield residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across Massachusetts.
Where North Brookfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in North Brookfield on the National Register of Historic Places.
Town in Massachusetts, United States
North Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,735 at the 2020 census. The town includes the census-designated place of North Brookfield (CDP).
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with North Brookfield.
| Town | MA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Brookfield | #253 | C− | B− | — | C− | B |
| Brookfield | #216 | C+ | C+ | B+ | B | B− |
| East Brookfield | — | — | C+ | B+ | C− | B+ |
| West Brookfield | #215 | C+ | C+ | A− | C+ | B− |
| New Braintree | — | — | C | A+ | C | B |
East Brookfield and New Braintree have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. North Brookfield reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare North Brookfield with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
North Brookfield grades C− overall, better than 20% of U.S. towns and #253 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades B for health and C− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
