Compare towns
Middlefield vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Columbia has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Middlefield | Plainfield | Brooklyn | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,243Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,517 |
5,300 |
| Median age | 51.6±1.9Highest 26% above CT |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
45.6±2.5 11% above CT |
51.3±10.3 25% above CT |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.1 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 25.5%±7.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
24.9%±5.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
34.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.4Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
4.8%±2.5Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,837±$20k 4% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
$127,000±$30kHighest 33% above CT |
| Columbia and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,000±$27kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
$361,500±$16k about the CT average |
| Middlefield and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,125±$98 24% below CT |
$966±$304Lowest 35% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,853Highest 3% above CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
$5,228 21% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±52.1Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5 CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Middlefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
6.1% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
83.3% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below CT |
27 min about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
| Work from home | 10.9%±4.1 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
21.6%±6Highest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 13 | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District | Columbia School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.