Compare towns
Brookfield vs Rowe vs Plainfield 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%).
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Lincoln has the most expensive homes ($365k 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 | Rowe | Plainfield | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
453Lowest |
1,314 |
1,394 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
48.9±6.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
45.7±3.6Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Rowe and Plainfield 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% |
23%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Rowe 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% |
30.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rowe 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% |
26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rowe 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. |
$69,583±$13k 14% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$96,667±$18k 20% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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 |
$275,000±$41kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$365,200±$30kHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Lincoln and Brookfield 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. |
$1,313±$576Highest 7% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Rowe 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. |
$1,458Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,100Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
11.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lincoln 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% |
15.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 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 | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rowe | — | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None 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.