Compare towns
Plainfield vs West Bath 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 most affordable homes ($318k median).
West Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.8%).
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 | West Bath | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
1,863Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Plainfield 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% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and West Bath 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% |
50.7%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% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Bath 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. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| West Bath 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±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| West Bath and Brookfield 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. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Plainfield and West Bath 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. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | West Bath Public Schools | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.