Compare towns
Brookfield 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 expensive homes ($339k median).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
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 | Plainfield | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,016Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
34.5±6.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest 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% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield 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. |
$70,673±$6kLowest 12% 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 |
$155,100±$17kLowest 53% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Highest 31% below U.S. |
$750±$207Lowest 47% below U.S. |
$840±$405 41% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$2,667Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Plainfield 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% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±4.7Lowest 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 | |||
| 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 |
| 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.