Compare towns
Plainfield vs Ayer vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Ayer has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Brooklyn has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Plainfield | Ayer | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
3,098Lowest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
42.1±6.9 8% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.3%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 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 | $76,993±$8k 5% below U.S. |
$74,878±$17kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$444,600±$43kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,240±$169Highest 12% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,911Highest 57% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ayer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ayer 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | — | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
— | — |
| 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.