Compare towns
Brookfield vs Oakham 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%).
Oakham has the most expensive homes ($420k 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 | Oakham | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,639Highest |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
49±2.3Highest 26% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Oakham 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% |
18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Oakham 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% |
21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Oakham 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% |
40.3%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% |
3.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Oakham 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±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Oakham 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 |
$420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Oakham 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. |
$4,103Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 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 min 38% above U.S. |
39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.6%±3.8Lowest 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 | Quabbin | — |
| 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.