Compare towns
Brookfield vs Orange vs Plainfield vs Braintree
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%).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Orange | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
7,573Highest |
1,314 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Brookfield 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% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree 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% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 |
$245,900±$18k 26% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% 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±$306 31% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield 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. |
$4,136 33% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Braintree 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% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.