Compare towns
Salem vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salem has the most people working from home (18%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Salem | Plainfield | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,282Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,517 |
| Median age | 40.9±5.4 about the CT average |
37±4.5Lowest 10% below CT |
45.6±2.5Highest 11% above CT |
| Brooklyn and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±5.1Highest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±4.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Salem and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest CT: 18.5% |
17.6%±2.9 CT: 18.5% |
| Salem and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.6%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
23.9% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.3Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Salem and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,245±$8kHighest 29% above CT |
$76,993±$8kLowest 20% below CT |
$96,207±$15k about the CT average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $403,600±$33kHighest 10% above CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$315,200±$28k 14% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,440±$150Highest 3% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
$1,125±$98Lowest 24% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,668Highest about the CT average |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$4,538 32% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±26Lowest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Highest CT: 52.6% |
38.5%±19.3 CT: 52.6% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% CT: 10% |
8.7%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.7% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
1978 11 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above CT |
27 minLowest about the CT average |
27 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 18%±9.6Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
10.7%±5.4 CT: 16% |
| Salem and Brooklyn 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 | #11 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Salem School District | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT 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.