Compare towns
Brookfield vs Buzzards Bay vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buzzards Bay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Brookfield | Buzzards Bay | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Highest |
2,909 |
616Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 31% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
50.6±9.5Lowest 27% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±9.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
29.5%±7.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
52.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37k 22% below MA |
$94,388±$12kHighest 9% below MA |
$63,500±$14kLowest 39% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23k 39% below MA |
$454,500±$28kHighest 19% below MA |
$309,000±$47kLowest 45% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,484±$601Highest 16% below MA |
$1,292±$558 27% below MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 15% below MA |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,458 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
7.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 minLowest 10% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
26.2%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Plainfield and Buzzards Bay 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Brookfield | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.