Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Plainfield vs Randolph
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 homeowners (87.9%).
Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Plainfield has the oldest population (median age 48.1).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
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 | Lancaster | Plainfield | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
8,606Highest |
1,314Lowest |
4,843 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4Lowest 4% 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%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Randolph 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% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.2%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$76,758±$6k 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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 |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38kLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Nashoba | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Randolph Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.4 |
| 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.