Compare towns
Oakham vs Brooklyn vs Plainfield vs Spencer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Spencer has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Oakham | Brooklyn | Plainfield | Spencer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
8,517 |
15,141Highest |
12,008 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.9±6.8 26% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Spencer and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 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 | $102,000±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$80,533±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Oakham and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$382,000±$22k 15% above U.S. |
| Oakham and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 17% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,078±$161Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% above U.S. |
$4,538Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,209 35% above U.S. |
$4,387 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Spencer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
63%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 46% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Spencer 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #261 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Brooklyn School District | Plainfield School District | Spencer-E Brookfield |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | David Prouty High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.