Compare towns
Dracut vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the highest household income ($114k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Middleborough has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Dracut | Plainfield | Brooklyn | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574Highest |
15,141 |
8,517Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2 7% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dracut and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middleborough and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest 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 | $114,036±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7k 20% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$468,700±$18k 41% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375 72% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$6,023Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middleborough and Dracut 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | Plainfield High School | None in town | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | 11.3 |
| 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.