Compare towns
Brookfield vs Hancock 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%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.7%).
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 | Hancock | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,791Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
53.8±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Hancock and Plainfield 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% |
15.4%±2.2Lowest 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% |
30.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hancock 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. |
$95,208±$15k 18% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$436,700±$22kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,208±$650Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Hancock and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,884Highest 121% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.4%±55.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Hancock 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% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±3.2Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Contoocook Valley School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.