Compare towns
Sterling vs Plainfield 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
Sterling has the most people working from home (18.3%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 37).
Brooklyn has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
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 | Sterling | Plainfield | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,183Lowest |
15,141Highest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 51.5±1.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sterling and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,063±$27kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
| Sterling and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,800±$48kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,699±$161Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,757Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sterling 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Wachusett | 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 |
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.