Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Sullivan 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%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Sullivan has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Sullivan | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
1,314 |
687Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
46.6±6.5Lowest 20% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5 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% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3.6Lowest 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% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sullivan 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$106,667±$20kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Sullivan 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±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$236,500±$29k 29% 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. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,225±$275Highest 13% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Sullivan 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. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$5,099Highest 63% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest 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 | 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.