Compare towns
Brookfield vs Townsend vs Braintree vs Roxbury
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%).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Roxbury has the most kids (30.6% 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 | Brookfield | Townsend | Braintree | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
9,100Highest |
1,026 |
942Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
35.6±11.7Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.6%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±8.1 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+ | 45.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 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 | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
$73,214±$22kLowest 9% below 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 | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$242,600±$55k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$950±$495 33% 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 | $4,560 46% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,284 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±100Lowest 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 | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
27.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 38% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±3.8Lowest 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 | 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.