Compare towns
Braintree vs Dover vs Northfield
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 oldest population (median age 58.4).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Dover | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
33,364Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9 5% below U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Northfield 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$274,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,018±$207 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,878 56% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield and Dover 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% |
8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Dover 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 | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Dover School District | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.