Compare towns
Springfield vs Plainville vs Brooklyn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (50.4% rent).
Brooklyn has the most expensive homes ($315k median).
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 | Springfield | Plainville | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 154,749Highest |
17,551 |
8,517Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.3±1.5 14% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainville and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±0.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Springfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$84,343±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$254,000±$14k 24% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28kHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,144±$55Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,798Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #276 of 282 in MA | #89 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Springfield | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | Springfield Central High | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| 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.