Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Dedham vs Wakefield 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
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Brooklyn | Dedham | Wakefield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
25,237 |
27,793Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10k 60% above U.S. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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. |
$661,800±$16k 99% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102 39% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$7,779 149% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Wakefield 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wakefield and Dedham 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Dedham | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
10.7Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.