Compare towns
Braintree vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Townsend | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
9,100Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Brookfield 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Brookfield 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Brookfield 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. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Townsend and Brookfield 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. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,560 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Braintree 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
37 min 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Braintree 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | North Middlesex | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.