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	Holbrook
High school in town	Braintree High	Holbrook Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.7Highest	14.3Lowest
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.