Compare towns
Braintree vs Northbridge 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 people working from home (19%).
Northbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Chelsea has the most kids (21.9% under 18).
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 | Northbridge | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
16,458Highest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% 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% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest 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% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$260,900±$39k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Northbridge 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. |
$4,821Highest 55% above U.S. |
$3,762Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Northbridge 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northbridge | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| 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.