Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Walpole
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%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Brookfield | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,486 |
3,690Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole 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% |
25.5%±5.4Lowest 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% |
32.9% 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%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Walpole 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±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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 |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Walpole 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. |
$1,165±$150Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Walpole 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. |
$6,078Highest 95% 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% |
51.6%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walpole and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest 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 | — | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Fall Mountain Regional 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.