Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Sidney
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%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,486 |
4,790Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Brookfield 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Sidney 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. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 25% above U.S. |
$4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Brookfield 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% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 18 |
| 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.