Compare towns
Plainfield vs Salem 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).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | 15,141 |
44,795Highest |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
39.3±1.5 about the U.S. average |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest 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% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brooklyn and Salem 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% |
47.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 5% below U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Salem 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. |
$542,800±$18kHighest 63% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 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% |
21.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #131 of 149 in CT | #248 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Plainfield School District | Salem | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Plainfield High School | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.