West Brookfield #63: Central MA’s Best Communities
Monday, June 25, 2012
West Brookfield ranks 63rd in GoLocalWorcester's Best Communities rankings.
This legendary birthplace of asparagus in the New World is also where Noah Webster published his dictionary. Today, West Brookfield is a cozy, friendly town, with plenty of shops and the Lake Wickaboag town beach. Visitors and residents alike are encouraged to slow down, enjoy a tasty treat in a local restaurant and window shop the antique and collectible shops.
West Brookfield scores highest in affordability, thanks to the relatively low median home price of $151,700. The town ranks 61st for educational performance and 62nd for safety, and comes in last for arts and culture.
West Brookfield Town Hall Photo courtesy of Richard B. Johnson
Established: 1848
Population: 3701
Median household income: $61,319
Median housing price: $151,700
2012 Best Communities rankings
Overall ranking: 63
Affordability ranking: 18
Education ranking: 61
Economic condition ranking: 39
Safety ranking: 62
Arts & Culture ranking: 72
History in a nutshell:
West Brookfield, settled in 1660, is an agricultural town home of women's rights advocate and abolitionist, Lucy Stone, who was the first Massachusetts woman to earn a college degree and the first recorded American woman to maintain her maiden name once married. The town is also home to one of the three drafters of Massachusetts constitution, which served as a precursor for the US Constitution.
Famous residents:
Lucy Stone, Suffragist
Daniel Henry Chamberlain, Governor of South Carolina
Famous residents source: Wikipedia
Additional reporting by Grace Fenton
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