Compare towns
Braintree Town vs Lancaster vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree Town has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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.
| Measure | Braintree Town | Lancaster | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,899Highest |
8,606Lowest |
11,380 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.2Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Lancaster and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1 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±$10k 18% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
| Lancaster and Braintree Town 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$465,400±$21kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,024±$195 15% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
| Lancaster and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,436Lowest 9% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,105 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Braintree Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Braintree | Nashoba | Holbrook |
| High school in town | Braintree High | None in town | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.7Highest |
— | 14.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.