Compare towns
Brookfield vs Plaistow 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%).
Plaistow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Plaistow | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
7,861Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
40.1±3.7Lowest 3% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plaistow 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% |
17.4%±3.7Lowest 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% |
34.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plaistow 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. |
$108,317±$13kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Plaistow 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 |
$404,500±$32kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,664±$187Highest 18% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$7,194Highest 131% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.3%±16.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plaistow 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 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 8% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±4Lowest 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 | — | #66 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Timberlane Regional School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Timberlane Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.