Compare towns

Plainfield vs Hatfield vs Brooklyn vs Putnam

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 youngest population (median age 37).
Hatfield has the most people working from home (16%).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).

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.

MeasurePlainfieldHatfieldBrooklynPutnam
People
Population
15,141Highest
3,325Lowest
8,517
9,292
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+2.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
— —
Median age
37±4.5Lowest
5% below U.S.
46.8±5Highest
20% above U.S.
45.6±2.5
17% above U.S.
43.7±3
12% above U.S.
Hatfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19.4%±2.6
U.S.: 22%
14%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.6%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.6%±3.6
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+
16.6%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
23.3%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.9
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±3.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Hatfield and Putnam 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%
48.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
23.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
20%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.4Lowest
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.
$89,005±$25k
10% above U.S.
$96,207±$15kHighest
19% above U.S.
$70,561±$7kLowest
13% below U.S.
Brooklyn and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$272,100±$16k
18% below U.S.
$440,800±$26kHighest
32% above U.S.
$315,200±$28k
5% below U.S.
$269,200±$11kLowest
19% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,204±$70
15% below U.S.
$1,267±$216Highest
10% below U.S.
$1,125±$98Lowest
20% below U.S.
$1,149±$44
19% below U.S.
Hatfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,209
35% above U.S.
$4,930Highest
58% above U.S.
$4,538
45% above U.S.
$3,860Lowest
24% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.8%±9.5
U.S.: 51.1%
42.6%±11.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
38.5%±19.3
U.S.: 51.1%
37.7%±11.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Hatfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
2.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
11.5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.6%
U.S.: 65.2%
81.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
59.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1967
13 yrs older than U.S.
1978Highest
2 yrs older than U.S.
1961Lowest
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 min
about the U.S. average
20 minLowest
23% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
25 min
6% below U.S.
Work from home
10%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
16%±6.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.7%±5.4
U.S.: 15.1%
9%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Hatfield 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 #198 of 282 in MA #113 of 149 in CT #128 of 149 in CT
School district Plainfield School District Hatfield Brooklyn School District Putnam School District
High school in town Plainfield High School Smith Academy None in town Putnam High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.3Highest
6.1Lowest
—
9.5
On TownTapestry
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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.