Compare towns
Townsend vs Plainfield vs Brooklyn vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Brooklyn has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Holbrook has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Townsend | Plainfield | Brooklyn | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
15,141Highest |
8,517Lowest |
11,380 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.8±3.2 10% above U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holbrook and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.1Lowest 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 | $121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$115,210±$14k 43% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$465,400±$21kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Holbrook and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$6,105Highest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Holbrook 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #113 of 149 in CT | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Plainfield School District | Brooklyn School District | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Plainfield High School | None in town | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
10.3Lowest |
— | 14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.