Compare towns
Braintree Town vs Sturbridge vs Mansfield
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%).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k median).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Sturbridge | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,899Highest |
9,960Lowest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.2Lowest 3% above MA |
47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±3 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Sturbridge 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
49.3% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Braintree Town and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,214±$10kLowest 18% above MA |
$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
| Sturbridge and Mansfield 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 |
$425,800±$18kLowest 24% below MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,024±$195Highest 15% above MA |
$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA |
$1,803±$147 about the MA average |
| Braintree Town and Mansfield 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 |
$6,520 9% above MA |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
42%±17.7 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Braintree Town and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% MA: 62.5% |
86.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 12% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.8%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Mansfield and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Braintree | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Braintree High | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.7Highest |
7.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.