Compare towns
Brookfield vs Bennington vs Plainfield vs Braintree
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 (27.3%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Bennington | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,588Highest |
1,314 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% 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 | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | Contoocook Valley School District | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.