Compare towns
Minerva vs Plainfield vs Black Brook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Minerva has the most people working from home (11.6%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.8%).
Black Brook has the most expensive homes ($202k 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 | Minerva | Plainfield | Black Brook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 836Lowest |
1,016 |
1,315Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 56.2±5.7 41% above NY |
34.5±6.6Lowest 13% below NY |
56.5±5.8Highest 42% above NY |
| Black Brook and Minerva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±4.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
10.6%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Plainfield and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.8%±4.3 NY: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
36%±5.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Black Brook and Minerva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
28.2% NY: 40.2% |
26.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Lowest NY: 7% |
14.9%±11.2Highest NY: 7% |
4.9%±3.8 NY: 7% |
| Plainfield and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,303±$9kLowest 22% below NY |
$70,673±$6kHighest 18% below NY |
$67,852±$20k 21% below NY |
| Plainfield and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,800±$22k 59% below NY |
$155,100±$17kLowest 63% below NY |
$202,200±$48kHighest 52% below NY |
| Black Brook and Minerva are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $784±$102Highest 52% below NY |
$750±$207Lowest 54% below NY |
$783±$461 52% below NY |
| Minerva and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,608Lowest 60% below NY |
$2,667 59% below NY |
$3,633Highest 45% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±74.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
40.6%±43.5 NY: 52.1% |
46.9%±32Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Black Brook and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest NY: 14% |
7.8% NY: 14% |
7.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88% NY: 54.3% |
87.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% below NY |
29 minLowest 10% below NY |
32 minHighest 3% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.6%±7.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.5%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Minerva and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.