Compare towns
Plainfield vs Gardner vs Brookfield
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Gardner | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
21,148Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Gardner | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Gardner High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| 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.