Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Rumney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Rumney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.2%).
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 | Brookfield | Rumney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,486Highest |
1,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
44.5±2.3Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Rumney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rumney and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$79,444±$21kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$309,800±$37k 7% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Rumney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,064±$100Highest 25% below U.S. |
| Rumney and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
$4,716Highest 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.1%±21.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rumney and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rumney School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.


