Compare towns

Brooklyn vs Wakefield vs Plainville

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%).
Plainville has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

MeasureBrooklynWakefieldPlainville
People
Population
8,517Lowest
27,793Highest
17,551
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+8.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
45.6±2.5Highest
17% above U.S.
42.4±1.7Lowest
9% above U.S.
44.3±1.5
14% above U.S.
Brooklyn and Plainville 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%
20%±2.2
U.S.: 22%
15.6%±2.3Lowest
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%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19%±1.9
U.S.: 17.2%
20.1%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Plainville 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%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
59.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
30%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.4%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
4.4%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Plainville 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.
$134,306±$14kHighest
66% above U.S.
$84,343±$7kLowest
4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$315,200±$28k
5% below U.S.
$723,500±$24kHighest
117% above U.S.
$254,000±$14kLowest
24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,125±$98Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,958±$102Highest
39% above U.S.
$1,126±$147
20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,538Lowest
45% above U.S.
$7,779Highest
149% above U.S.
$4,798
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
38.5%±19.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
43.7%±7.9Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
40.3%±12.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Wakefield and Plainville 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%
4.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1978Highest
2 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
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
21 minLowest
20% below U.S.
Work from home
10.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.6%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #113 of 149 in CT #179 of 282 in MA #89 of 149 in CT
School district Brooklyn School District Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town None in town Northeast Metro Regional Vocational Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
10.7Lowest
11.4Highest
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.