What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).

Plainfield has the most kids (16.3% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookfield	Plainfield
People
Population	567Lowest	1,314Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	48.1±5.5Lowest 24% above U.S.
	Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	16.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.1%±1.3Lowest 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	$81,406±$31kHighest about the U.S. average	$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S.
	Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S.	$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,153±$103 18% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,926Highest 90% above U.S.	$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	73.2%±53.9 U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.
Work from home	13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.