Compare towns
Braintree vs Union 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%).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Chelsea has the oldest housing (typical home built 1967).
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 | Union | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% 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% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Union 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% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
34.4%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% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chelsea and Union 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest about the U.S. average |
$65,913±$13kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Union 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. |
$267,600±$42kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$260,900±$39k 22% below U.S. |
| Union 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. |
$1,179±$452 17% below U.S. |
$1,524±$467Highest 8% above U.S. |
| Chelsea and Union 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. |
$3,276Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,762 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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% |
10.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than 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% |
15.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Union 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | 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.