Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plainfield vs Townsend vs Lincoln
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 the shortest commute (24 min average).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Townsend | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
1,314Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Brookfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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 |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
$6,100Highest 96% 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% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Townsend 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 | — | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | North Middlesex | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.