Compare towns
Braintree vs Millbury vs Sutton 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).
Millbury has the most renters (24.6% rent).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Millbury | Sutton | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
13,961Highest |
9,452 |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Millbury and Sutton 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% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest 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% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Millbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
$118,790±$13k 47% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Millbury 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. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,623±$232Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Millbury and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,406 73% above U.S. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sutton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Sutton 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 | — | #202 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Millbury | Sutton | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.