Compare towns
Braintree vs Nelson 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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Nelson | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
648Lowest |
1,223Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
54.1±12.1 39% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Chelsea 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Chelsea 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% |
24.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Chelsea 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea 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 |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Nelson 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. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$260,900±$39k 22% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Chelsea 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. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Nelson 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. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 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 |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson and Braintree 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 | Nelson School District | 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 |
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.