Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Ayer vs Plainfield vs Danielson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Ayer has the most people working from home (21.6%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Danielson has the most renters (47% rent).
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 | Brooklyn | Ayer | Plainfield | Danielson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517 |
8,645 |
15,141Highest |
4,209Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
34.5±3.6Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15% U.S.: 35.7% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.2%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Danielson and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$64,050±$15kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$463,800±$29kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16k 18% below U.S. |
$224,600±$13kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,235±$194 13% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$5,057Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,009Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.7%±17.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Danielson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
53%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer and Brooklyn 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 | #113 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Ayer Shirley School District | Plainfield School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.