Compare towns
Braintree vs Eliot vs Rochester
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).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Eliot | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
7,146Highest |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Rochester 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% |
16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot 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% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Rochester 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Eliot 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 |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,549Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Eliot 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| 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.