Compare towns
Brookfield vs Colrain vs Braintree vs Plainfield
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%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Colrain | Braintree | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,627Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
49.6±8.7 28% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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% |
30.4%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Colrain 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% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Colrain 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. |
$80,673±$10k about the U.S. average |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Colrain 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 |
$284,300±$14k 15% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% 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. |
$1,102±$77 22% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Colrain 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. |
$4,317 38% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 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 | Mohawk Trail | 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.