Compare towns
Braintree vs Charleston vs Cornish
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).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
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 | Charleston | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
936Lowest |
1,816Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
54±8.3Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charleston 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±$5k about the U.S. average |
$49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston 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. |
$979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Charleston 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. |
$3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Cornish 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% |
12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.7%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Charleston 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 | Charleston School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.