Compare towns
Brookfield vs Webster vs Braintree vs Plainfield
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%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Webster | Braintree | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
2,227Highest |
1,026Lowest |
1,314 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 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% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Webster 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. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Webster 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 |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Webster 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. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Webster 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. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Webster 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% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| 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.