Compare towns
Braintree vs Dover vs Ogunquit vs Chelsea
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).
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Chelsea has the most kids (21.9% 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 | Dover | Ogunquit | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,466Highest |
1,379 |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4 50% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Lowest 38% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1 39% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit 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% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Ogunquit 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 |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405 41% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
— | $1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Braintree 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. |
$4,510Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 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 |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Dover 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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 | 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.