Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Mansfield vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
25,358Highest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| 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% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15kHighest about the CT average |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Mansfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 32% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 11 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.