Compare towns
Brookfield vs Monroe vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Brookfield | Monroe | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
786Lowest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Lowest 21% above U.S. |
51±10.4 31% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Braintree and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Monroe and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.3%±8.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$88,150±$7k 9% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Brookfield and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest about the U.S. average |
$312,700±$58k 6% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Brookfield and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,104±$218Highest 22% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Monroe and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 46% above U.S. |
$2,661Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±39Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Monroe and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 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 | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Monroe School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| 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.