Compare towns
Braintree Town vs Townsend 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%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Townsend | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 38,899Highest |
9,100Lowest |
23,931 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.2 3% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
41.4±1.3Highest 4% above MA |
| Mansfield 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%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Braintree Town and Townsend 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% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest 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±$10k 18% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% above MA |
$125,273±$15kHighest 21% above MA |
| Mansfield 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 |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,024±$195Highest 15% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% 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 |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$7,226Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.9%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Braintree Town and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% MA: 62.5% |
82%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 12% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.2%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Mansfield and Braintree Town 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Braintree | North Middlesex | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Braintree High | North Middlesex Regional | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.7Highest |
13.1 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.