Compare towns
Plainfield vs Brookline vs Bridgewater
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 homeowners (87.6%).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($80k median).
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 | Brookline | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,016Highest |
531Lowest |
543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 34.5±6.6 11% below U.S. |
45.1±2.7Highest 16% above U.S. |
33.1±6.8Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
21%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.9%±11.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,673±$6k 12% below U.S. |
$80,833±$16kHighest about the U.S. average |
$35,694±$8kLowest 56% below U.S. |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $155,100±$17k 53% below U.S. |
$290,700±$37kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$80,000±$43kLowest 76% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $750±$207 47% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$735±$16Lowest 48% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667 14% below U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$2,167Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
3.1%±38.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
28.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1948Lowest 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.