Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Braintree 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 people working from home (27.3%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Plainfield | Braintree | Randolph |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
2,522 |
1,026Lowest |
4,843Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
40.4±7.4 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±4.2 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% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$76,758±$6kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$278,700±$38k 16% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,172±$173 17% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,698 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±17.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Randolph and Braintree 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest 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 | — | #19 of 120 in NH | — | #55 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Plainfield School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None 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.