Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lee 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%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Lee | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
5,719Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Lee 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% |
12.6%±5Lowest 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% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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% |
44.1%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% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee 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. |
$83,750±$13k 4% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Lee 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 |
$352,700±$19kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Lee and Brookfield 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. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Lee 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. |
$3,980Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lee 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Lee 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 | — | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Lee | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2 |
— |
| 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.