Compare towns
Braintree vs Standish 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%).
Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Standish | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
10,662Highest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
40.5±2.8Lowest 4% 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% |
16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chelsea and Standish 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest 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%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% |
11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$336,000±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$260,900±$39k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$983±$453 30% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,762 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.3%±33.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chelsea and Standish 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% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Standish 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 | — | #18 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.