Compare towns
Plainfield vs Needham 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).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Brookfield has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Needham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
32,459Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Brookfield 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Needham | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.