Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Putnam vs Phillipston
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 people working from home (12%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Phillipston has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Plainfield | Putnam | Phillipston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,460 |
15,141Highest |
9,292 |
1,895Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 35% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
48.8±1.7 25% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Phillipston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$94,692±$14kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Phillipston 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 |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$372,400±$27kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Phillipston 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. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
$1,375±$849Highest about the U.S. average |
| Phillipston and Plainfield 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. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Phillipston and Brookfield 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% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.2%±3.7 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #109 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brookfield | Plainfield School District | Putnam School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Putnam High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.