Compare towns
Brooklyn vs Providence 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 highest household income ($96k).
Providence has the most renters (58.6% rent).
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 | Providence | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,517Lowest |
191,767Highest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
32.8±0.5Lowest 16% below U.S. |
37±4.5 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Providence 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% |
11.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 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% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$68,119±$3kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
| 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 5% below U.S. |
$362,200±$8kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,408±$42Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±2.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Providence 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% |
20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Providence 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 | #36 of 38 in RI | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Brooklyn School District | MET Career and Tech · Urban Collaborative | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Classical High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.