Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Plainfield vs Stoneham
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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Stoneham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
15,141 |
23,355Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.2±2.2 8% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham and Brooklyn 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stoneham and Brooklyn 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% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$113,964±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Stoneham 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. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,523Highest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoneham and Plainfield 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #113 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #117 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | Plainfield School District | Stoneham |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | Stoneham High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.