Compare towns
Wakefield vs Brooklyn vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wakefield has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Brooklyn has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Wakefield | Brooklyn | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 27,793Highest |
8,517Lowest |
15,141 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 42.4±1.7 9% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Brooklyn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brooklyn and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wakefield and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest 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 | $134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15k 19% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28k 5% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,125±$98Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wakefield and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #179 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Brooklyn School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.