Compare towns
Brookfield vs Danielson vs Plainfield vs West Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.5%).
Danielson has the most renters (47% rent).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
West Brookfield has the most people working from home (18.9%).
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 | Danielson | Plainfield | West Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
4,209 |
15,141Highest |
3,859 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +3.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1 35% above U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
58.5±3.2Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson 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 about the U.S. average |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$95,613±$12kHighest 18% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield 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 about the U.S. average |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$354,000±$21kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,236±$271Highest 13% below U.S. |
| West Brookfield and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Highest 63% above U.S. |
$4,009Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,260 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.3%±18.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookfield and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 23% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
42 minHighest 58% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±15Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Brookfield and Brookfield 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 | — | #131 of 149 in CT | #162 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Plainfield School District | Quaboag Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.