Compare towns
Braintree vs Durham vs Brookfield
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).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
15,080Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Durham and Brookfield 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. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Oyster River Coop School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.