What stands out worked out from the figures below

Braintree Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).

Holbrook has the most affordable homes ($465k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Braintree Town	Holbrook
People
Population	38,899Highest	11,380Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.5%Highest MA: +7.4%	+5.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.2Lowest 3% above MA	42.8±3.2Highest 7% above MA
	Holbrook and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Holbrook and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Holbrook and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9%	5.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,214±$10kHighest 18% above MA	$115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA
	Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$656,800±$14kHighest 17% above MA	$465,400±$21kLowest 17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,024±$195Highest 15% above MA	$1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,436Lowest 9% below MA	$6,105Highest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8%	47.8%±18.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Braintree Town and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest MA: 10%	7.7%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	84%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957 7 yrs older than MA	1957 7 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 12% above MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6%	12.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#84 of 282 in MA	#234 of 282 in MA
School district	Braintree	—
High school in town	Braintree High	—
Students per teacherat that high school	15.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

MA 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.