Compare towns
Braintree vs Exeter vs Roxbury
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 people working from home (19%).
Exeter has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Roxbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.9%).
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 | Exeter | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
913Lowest |
942 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
35.6±11.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
30.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Roxbury and Exeter 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% |
26.9%±10.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury 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±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$73,214±$22kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Braintree and Exeter 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. |
$243,000±$89kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Roxbury 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. |
$867±$44 39% below U.S. |
$950±$495Highest 33% below U.S. |
| Roxbury and Exeter 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. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,284Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Roxbury 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Exeter 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 | — | — |
| High school 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.