Compare towns
Plainfield vs Salem vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Salem has the most people working from home (18%).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Plainfield | Salem | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,141Highest |
4,282Lowest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
40.9±5.4 about the CT average |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
| Brooklyn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Salem and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Salem and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
50.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,440±$150Highest 3% below CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,668Highest about the CT average |
$4,538 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
6.2% CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the CT average |
32 minHighest 19% above CT |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
18%±9.6Highest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Salem 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 | #11 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Salem School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school 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 |
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.