Compare towns
Arkwright vs Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arkwright has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Arkwright | Brookfield | Plainfield | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 859Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,314 |
862 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
48.7±8.1 25% above U.S. |
| Arkwright and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $93,000±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$65,625±$18kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,900±$30kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$175,000±$27k 47% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$689Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
— |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,760 21% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$2,644Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±65.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.3%±38.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Arkwright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 1 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.