Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Brookfield’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and an A for the outdoors and history; its weakest is a D for schools. Brookfield’s average trip to work is 36 minutes, above both the New York town median (25 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 104 of New York’s 1,216 towns score lower on walkability. 24% of the land in Brookfield is conserved, above both the New York town median (5.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Charles E. Baker State Forest, 7,546 acres with 54.3 miles of trail. Brookfield has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Brookfield beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
2,545 counted in 2010 and 2,247 in 2020; an estimated 2,235 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Brookfield is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 4,240 in 1820, 2,247 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2024 and 2 maps from 1907 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brookfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Brookfield.
Its public schools are run by the Brookfield Central School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield Central SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades PK–12 | Grades PK–12 | 189 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Brookfield for work: only 6% work in town. 17% of residents live below the poverty line in Brookfield. Since 2013, Brookfield has added 57 jobs, to 182 in 2023.
| Brookfield | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $82,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.6% | 10% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
62 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Brookfield’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Charles E. Baker State Forest | 54.3 mi | 7,546 |
| 2. Brookfield Railroad State Forest | 5 mi | 841 |
| 3. Beaver Creek State Forest | 0.4 mi | 3,249 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Brookfield beats the New York average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 39% of Brookfield adults have obesity.
| Brookfield | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| What stands out | Brookfield | NY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 6% |
| More smokers | 16.7% | 11.3% |
| More adults with obesity | 39.2% | 28.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brookfield.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The July high in Brookfield is 77°F. Brookfield has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Brookfield
About 2 of every 100 Brookfield residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
Where Brookfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 notable people were born in Brookfield.
Town in New York, United States
Brookfield is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,247 at the 2020 census, down from 2,545 in 2010. The town is located in the southeastern part of Madison County. The county agricultural fair is held here every year.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
8 towns share a border with Brookfield.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield | — | — | A− | — | D | C |
| Plainfield | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Unadilla Forks | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Edmeston | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | C− |
| Columbus | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hamilton | – | C+ | C− | — | B− | B+ |
| Madison | #595 | C− | C+ | — | D | B+ |
| Sangerfield | — | — | A− | — | B− | B+ |
Brookfield, Edmeston and Sangerfield have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Brookfield, Edmeston, Hamilton, Madison and Sangerfield report no FBI crime data of their own. Plainfield, Unadilla Forks and Columbus aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Brookfield with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $153,000, 71% below the New York typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
6 notable people were born here, including John Palmer Usher and William R. Williams.