Compare towns
Plainfield vs Leyden vs Whitingham 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).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
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 | Leyden | Whitingham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,314 |
637Lowest |
1,368 |
1,486Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
53.2±8.2Highest 37% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1Lowest 19% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Whitingham and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Brookfield 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% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$105,893±$13kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Leyden and Brookfield 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. |
$372,900±$24kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$262,300±$30kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Leyden and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,917±$451Highest 36% above U.S. |
$673±$150Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,651 49% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Whitingham 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% |
10.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
37 min 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | — | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | — | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.