Compare towns
Braintree Town vs Lancaster vs Quincy
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 the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Quincy has the most renters (54.8% rent).
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 | Quincy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,899 |
8,606Lowest |
102,114Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.2 3% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
38.6±0.8Lowest 4% below MA |
| Lancaster 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%±1.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
14.5%±1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Braintree Town and Lancaster 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% |
17.7%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Quincy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Quincy and Braintree Town 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 |
$98,882±$5kLowest 5% below 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±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$618,500±$14k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,024±$195Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,118±$59 20% above MA |
| Lancaster and Quincy 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 |
$6,381 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.7%±3.5Lowest 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% |
10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±1.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #147 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Braintree | Nashoba | Quincy |
| High school in town | Braintree High | None in town | North Quincy High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.7Highest |
— | 15.5Lowest |
| 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.