What stands out worked out from the figures below

Braintree Town has the most expensive homes ($657k median).

Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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	Plainville
People
Population	38,899Highest	17,551Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.5% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.3±1.2Lowest 6% above U.S.	44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 22%	15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.1%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Plainville 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 U.S.: 35.7%	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.5%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Braintree Town and Plainville 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 51% above U.S.	$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$656,800±$14kHighest 97% above U.S.	$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,024±$195Highest 43% above U.S.	$1,126±$147Lowest 20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,436Highest 74% above U.S.	$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Braintree Town and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	18.2%±2.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#84 of 282 in MA	#89 of 149 in CT
School district	Braintree	Judicial Centers · Plainville School District
High school in town	Braintree High	Plainville High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.7Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.