Compare towns
Plainfield vs Worcester 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).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,314Lowest |
207,055Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below 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% |
19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Worcester and Brookfield 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% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,733 52% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest 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 | — | #266 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6 |
— |
| 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.