Compare towns
Brookfield vs Gardner 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%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Gardner | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
21,148Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Brookfield 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. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 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 | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% 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±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner 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. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Gardner 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% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Gardner | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.